The Eternal Fire Will Always Burn
by LoneeWolf
Summary: "Would you care to speak what is bothering your business?" "That's the thing. It's not bothering. It's actually improving my business." "Seems like everything is perfect. Why are you calling for us?" Aida asked. "Because I fear that something happened to him. It goes by the name of Thaga." She told them. "Thaga?" Aida frowned "I heard that name before."
1. Chapter 1: Who the F is Thaga?

**Prologue**

* * *

The sun was setting down and the group was just about to get to their destiny. A small in in the middle of the forest, where they had been called for a mission, since things weird were happening in that place. And weird, as Aida said, were their thing. They entered and Sky coughed when the bad smell invaded their nostrils. Zander chuckled and walked to the woman behind the counter, whom had a sweet smile on her face. Sky looked in her direction and drew an apologetic smile, before covering her nose with her hand.

"Good evening. We came here because we received the notice that this hotel was being bothered by some strange events…" the elf said.

"Oh yes. We have been indeed. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm not used to weird things. I mean, in the times that go by, everything is weird and no one cares, but… This is downright strange."

"Would you care to speak what is bothering your business?"

"That's the thing. It's not bothering. It's actually improving my business. You see, I was once a target of many taxes, because the lord of this land is very… Imperative that everyone pays more than they should. And this business as always been on the line, but these last two weeks forward, it stopped. I no longer have people barging in, scaring my costumers and threatening me. I have no longer money being stolen under my nose. I no longer have to worry about my children. Everything is great."

"Seems like everything is perfect. Why are you calling for us?" Aida asked.

"Because I fear that something happened to him."

"And why do you care? For as much as you told us, he's an ass!" Jace replied.

"Because he might be the most awful person on this land… But he is still my brother." The lady told them. "And I don't need you to find who did this to this land. We already know. The reason why I brought you here… Is to catch that person."

"Okay." Zander frowned "And who is that person?"

"It goes by the name of Thaga." She told them.

"Thaga?" Aida frowned "I heard that name before."

"I'm sure you did. Thaga is a very well-known bandit that usually hurts other people… I don't see why it's helping here… But please… Find Thaga. I need to know what happened to my brother."

"Okay, lady, is this a capture mission, a take 'em out mission or simply a tracking mission?"

"It's a find that bastard and bring him back. Dead or alive."

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Who the F is Thaga?**

* * *

"So, I guess we already know what awaits us." Zander said, sitting down on the small dinner room.

"Yes. I think we should collect intel first, though." Tillie said.

"You're right." Jace confirmed "So, it's supposed to be male, he's a bandit that ruins people's lives, and his name is Thaga. What kind of name is Thaga?"

"Maybe is not a name. Maybe is a codename…" Sky supposed "And Aida, you said you heard of him…"

"Yeah… I don't know. The name sounds familiar. And every time I try to think about it, it gives me a huge headache."

"Maybe it's a suppressed memory…" Tillie guessed. Aida shrugged and declared "Suppressed or not, we have to catch this asshole. Where was he last seen?"

"According to the lady, here, two days ago. Giving a bag full with gold to a poor child." Sky said "He seems like a really nice guy."

"But he isn't. Think, Sky. Where would he get that kind of money?" Jace asked, sitting down "I know it's not a very good idea and that Aida is going to disagree, but I think we should stay for the night. We have nowhere to sleep and our supplies are running out. I vote we stick around and tomorrow we go and ask around about the Thaga guy."

"I agree." Tillie and Sky said in unison.

"It's a good idea. I support it." Zander agreed. Aida sighed and accepted "Fine. We stay. But Jace… You get to ask the lady for the rooms."

"Okay." He said, standing up and walking out of the room, only to come back few minutes later with three room keys. Giving one to Sky and another to Zander, he said "Let's go. Our rooms are waiting."

"How did you do it?" Aida asked, amazed. Jace grinned and said "Gorgeous, with a face like my own, I can get us anywhere."

The noble crossed her arms and walked to the stairs that led to the rooms. Jace chuckled and allowed the ladies to go before them, following right after. Zander walked behind him and soon, they were all upstairs, looking around for their rooms. Quickly finding them, they made the arrangements: Sky would stay with Tillie, Aida would stay with Jace and Zander would sleep alone. The thing about the rooms was that they were all connected and they had doors in between, meaning that they could pass through one room to another without stepping out to the corridor. Entering the rooms, they all said goodnight to each other. When she saw that they were alone, Aida turned to Jace and asked:

"How did you get the lady to let us stay?"

"Easy, gorgeous. I called it mission expenses." He grinned, winking at her and walking to the bathroom.

"Sneaky bastard." She whispered, trying to fight the smile that appeared in her lips.

* * *

"So, Tillie, what do you think about this?" Sky asked, removing her clothes.

"I think it's mysterious." She told the girl "But that doesn't mean that it's not good. We are getting paid to take a dangerous bandit off the street. I think that it's a good enough reason for all the mystery."

"How do you think he is like? All badass and stuff or just a regular guy, like us?"

"I guess it can be a little of both. And who knows? It may not even be a boy. It can be a woman, for all we know." Tillie told her, dressing her night clothes.

"I guess. Tillie, can I ask you something?" Sky said, sitting down on the large bed they were going to share.

"Of course. What is it, love?" Tillie said, sitting next to the brunette.

"How do you know that Airdan is the man for you?"

"You're asking this because of Diego?"

"I don't know… I guess." She said, blushing.

"Look, from my experience, it's not easy to tell who's the right one. It can be Diego, or Jace, or Faelern, or even Kole. You never know. After a while, you start to notice little things. Like, he remembers something insignificant about you that you told him three months ago. Or that he tries to touch you more often, even if it's just a caress. Or that he tries hard to gain your attention. Or even when you're talking to him, you are all that exists, he forgets about everything else. Until one day you realize that, every time he touches you, your heart beats faster. Every time he smiles you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Every time you touch him, he blushes. And every time you smile at him he stops in time and becomes the clumsy mess that a person in love is."

"Really?" Sky asked, smiling a little.

"Yeah. One thing I know for sure, Sky. No matter who you choose, know this. It's an old saying that my grandfather used to say: ' _Don't choose the person you_ _ **think**_ _you can live with. Choose the one you_ _ **know**_ _you_ _ **can't**_ _live_ _ **without**_ _._ '."

"Wise words." Sky noticed. Tillie laughed and responded "Probably one of the few he ever said. That man was crazy."

The two laughed their hearts out and laid down, ready to sleep. They kept chatting until the starts filled the sky, about anything. Gossip, Alchemist, Potions, Aida and her relationship, shipping names, which they agreed that Tillie and Airdan should be 'Tirdan' and Sky and Diego should be 'Skiego'. Sky laughed at this one, because it was so ridiculous, and Tillie agreed, trying to find a nice way to ship 'Aida' and 'Jace'. Since there was no possible combination, Sky suggested they work out plans to set those two together, since there was so much chemistry between the two that it seemed that Tillie was in the middle of them making potions. And, with those silly talks, they eventually felt asleep.

* * *

"What do you think we should do next?" Aida asked, looking out of the window. Jace had come out of the bathroom and was lying on the bed, shirtless and looking at the ceiling.

"I don't know, Gorgeous. I'd say ask around, but are already doing that tomorrow." He said quietly, never removing his gaze from the ceiling. Aida sighed and turned to him, seeing him laying down.

"What's on your mind?" she asked, crossing her arms. "You are." He told her.

"What did I do this time?" she asked, walking to him. "Nothing. That's the thing." He said. Aida frowned and questioned "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" he sighed "That you don't need to do a thing to be on my mind. You're always there."

"Why do you keep thinking about me?" she asked, sitting down next to him, trying not to drool over his well-defined muscles. "Who knows?" he said "Maybe it's because you're my leader, maybe it's because you're my friend. Maybe it's because I'm stupid, or maybe it's because I love you."

"You what?" Aida asked, sucking in a breath.

"I love you. But you already know that, Gorgeous." He told her, never gazing her back. "C'mon, let's get some sleep. We both need it."

"Jace…" she whispered, watching him stand up and pull the covers down, entering the bed and placing his arms between the pillow and his head.

Aida gulped and went to the bathroom. Inside was small and dark, but once the girl lighted a candle, the small light illuminated the place. She looked at herself in the mirror, carefully gazing her blushed features, her sparkling eyes and her red lips. Taking a deep breath, she rethought what Jace had said. She knew that he loved her. He had said such a lot of times before. They had kissed a few times, but Aida always broke it. Because she didn't know what to do. She felt something for Jace, that much should be said. But she didn't know what. She needed help in understanding her feelings, and the only reason why she hadn't grabbed Tillie and talked to her was because she was afraid that the dwarf would find her weak.

She sighed and undressed herself, taking of her daggers from their hilt and unlacing her dark brown corset. Her boots were next, the black leather was comfortable, but tiring. The two metal bands that wrapped around her left thigh were taken off, and the black fingerless long black gloves were next. She stood in front of the mirror wearing a sleeveless black tube top, black shorts and black knee-high black socks. Gathering her clothes and her weapons, she left the bathroom, placing the items in a chair and unclasping her brown leather collar, placing it over her clothes. She walked to Jace and sat on the bed, with her back to him. Feeling a hand twirl around her hair, she heard:

"Aren't you going to undo your braid?"

"No." she answered "I think I'm going to let it stay. It's gonna hurt my head if I undo it."

She heard a sigh behind her and gasped when she felt a hand grab her hair and unwrap the strap that kept it tight. Slowly, fingers started to interlace with her white locks, undoing the long braid. Twirl by twirl, the braid became undone, and the closer his hands were from her head. Aida started to get a headache. She already knew this was going to happen, but somehow, the gentle pull of her hair relaxed her. She felt his fingers in the base of her skull and sighed, feeling the pain increase. He told her to relax and started combing her hair with his fingers, twirling the now wavy locks within his fingers, separating them and softening them. After he reached the tips, his hands went to her skull, where he started to massage, calming Aida down and soothing the pain. Once she felt better and the headache disappeared, the feeling of his fingers disappeared, and the bed moved again, indicating that he had lied down.

"Thank you." She whispered, but was sure that he had heard.

"It was nothing." He replied, closing his eyes. Aida smiled and lied down next to him, her back facing him.

"Jace?" she whispered after a few minutes. "Yeah?" he called immediately. "Are you awake?"

"I am awake, Aida." He told her, sighing. "I'm sorry." She said "It shouldn't have to be this way…"

"What do you mean?" he asked, frowning.

"You should be with a girl that is nice, sweet, pretty and safe. The kind of girl that can give you what you want. The kind of girl that…" she said, but Jace stopped her, firmly saying "Aida, shut up."

"But…"

"No buts, Aida!" he exclaimed, sitting up "No buts! There's no other girl, okay!? There will never be another girl! No girl out there is the kind of girl I want! And why in the hell would I go after another girl when I already have what I want? When I already know the girl I want? Tell me, what else should I want?!"

"Jace… I just don't want to hurt you…" she whispered, shutting her eyes firmly.

She heard him growl and then felt a pull, gasping when her back hit the bed. She refused to open her eyes but when she felt a hand tugging on her long hair, she opened them. And gasped. Jace was above her, knees firmly pressed against the bed, on each side of her hips, and hands on each side of her head, trapping her there. He was considerably separated from her, but Aida felt like he was too close. Just the very fact that she was hovering over her was enough. She saw his eyes, sparkling and burning, wild and angry. She gulped. Her head told her to kick him in the junk, but her heart told her to shut the fuck up and listen. Just listen.

"You're not hurting me. Okay?! I can wait, Aida. I can wait until this shit is all over, I can wait until the Silver Order is down and the war is over. I can wait for you, Aida. But please, do not test my limits. Do not. I refuse to let you test them. Because if you don't want me gone for good, if you want me to stick around, if you want to give yourself a chance to actually love me back, I strongly suggest you to NOT push my limits. Aida, you have no idea of how much you mean to me. And I know that I mean to you. So shut the fuck up about not wanting to hurt me. Because you are not hurting me. Okay?!"

"Jace…" she whispered, feeling the tears coming to her eyes. She tried to fight them, but Jace placed his forehead over hers and told her "It's okay to cry, Aida. Go ahead. Cry. I won't tell anyone."

"I'm sorry." She said, feeling the wet substance leaving her eyes and wetting her cheeks and hair. He smiled softly and caressed her cheek, whispering "Don't. Don't be sorry. Cry all you want, Aida. I'm here for you."

"Hey, Jace?"

"Yeah?"

"You know what would make me feel better?"

"No. What would make you feel better?"

"You wrapping your arms around me." She told him. The second those words left her lips, Jace pulled her up and kept her against his chest, hugging her tight.

"Than-" she started, but Jace only said "Any time, princess. Any time."

* * *

Everyone else was asleep. Wait, wrong use of conjunction. _Everyone_ was asleep. Tillie and Sky were each in her side of the bed, sleeping soundly. Jace slept with Aida in his arms, the girl had fallen asleep while crying and Jace didn't have the heart to wake her up, so he just lied down and allowed her to sleep in his arms. Not that he minded, of course. As to Zander, he was alone in his room, on his bed, also asleep. His clothes were in a chair, his purple sash hung in the chair, and so did his black shirt, purple on the sides. His boots were kept in the floor, leaning to his bed, and he only slept in his undergarments, which were a nice pair of black boxers. The covers were pulled to his hips, showing his good and defined muscles, rippling down his chest.

Everything in the room was like it was supposed to be. Neat and soft. His clothes were folded, his belongings were together. The room was illuminated by the poor lunar light. The bathroom was dark as well, and the only candle he had lit was long out. The curtains blew with the soft breeze and the window was… Opening? From the window jumped a dark figure, its dark cape waving behind him. His face was masked, hidden by the hood. The dark figure walked slowly and quietly, making almost no sound. Slowly, he climbed to the bed where Zander was sleeping. Slowly crawling over him, the dark figure took out a dagger from the cape. It was small and shiny, beautiful, but sharp. He placed the dagger inches from Zander's throat and, even in the darkness, it was possible to see his smirk.

"What are you waiting for?" Zander asked. His eyes opened and gazed at the person over him, fearless.

He felt the coldness of the metal against his skin. Taking some time to try and observe the person behind the hood, he had no luck. It was too dark. But Zander wasn't going down without a fight. He slowly rose his hands under the cape, waiting for the right moment to attack. One aimed to the leg, the other to the waist. The easiest places to grab when it came to switching positions. Feeling the dagger close enough to almost pierce the skin, he decided that this was it. Grabbing the thigh and the waist of the figure at the same time, he quickly turned them around, throwing the dagger away while grabbing both of the person's wrists above the head. Looking down to the person under him, he gasped.

It was a woman.

A woman that kept her eyes shut firmly, and was trying to stop herself from shaking. Zander kept her there for a few moments, locking her tight and glared at her, using his fire to quiet her. He now understood why, when he had grabbed the figure, what he felt was smooth skin. It was a woman. He narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out why was his woman try to kill him. He asked her such, but she didn't answer. He asked her the name, she remained silent. He told her to open her eyes and she shook her head, but said nothing. Zander was getting annoyed. But, before he could act, a force pushed him away from the woman, making him fall on his back and hit his head on the floor. And, just before he lost conscience, he saw the girl standing up and grab the hood with a pair of glowing hands, leaving soon after.


	2. Chapter 2: More Questions than Answers

**Hi there! I guess it's time for me to publish a new chapter, hum? Well, first of all, I would like to thank the people who took the time to review, LadyDiamond92 and eroticlad11, you guys are super nice, and to say that a chapter will be published every week on Sunday. Said thing didn't happen the past week because I had to take a visit back to his house and we ended up staying there for the whole day. :D**

 **Anyway, Review Answer Time?**

 **\- LadyDimanod92, Aida is the main character of the games. She's a noble, a thief and tries to be a coldhearted girl, but she doesn't succeed beucase her personality is too witty and too mocking to be able to turn herself feelingless. A noble is a warrior, with no feelings nor caringness. However, Aida is different. She doesn't feel like she belongs, but she still tries to conquer her way through the masses and tries to win them. Her past is dark, but she learned to cope with it. Sky, her best friend, helped her. For mor einformation, play the game(s). :D  
About Thaga, stick around and find out ;)**

 **\- eroticlad11, thank you. I'm happy that you think I improved. Read ahead :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: More Questions than Answers**

* * *

"What do you mean, you were attacked?!" Tillie asked out loud, watching Sky keeping an ice pack on his head.

"Exactly what you heard, Til. I was attacked last night, and almost killed. A woman had put a dagger against my throat but I managed to get away. I pinned her down and demanded her to tell me who she was, but she refused. And they, some kind of force pulled me away from her and I hit my head, and I passed out."

"Do you remember anything from after the force threw you off of her?" Sky asked. "Yeah." He answered "She had… Glowing hands."

"Glowing hands?" Jace repeated "Magic?"

"I am not aware of that kind of magic, I'm afraid." Zander said. "I'm feeling better now. We should eat something and get out. To ask around about this Thaga. And I could use having some clothes on."

"Okay. We'll meet outside in 5." Aida said, leaving the room and dragging Jace by his arm.

Zander sighed. He grabbed his clothes and put them on, almost forgetting to dress his black pants. His sash was quickly wrapped around his waist and he placed his grey and golden belt over it, as well as the two metal bands on his right thigh. Tying his now shorter hair in a low ponytail, he stretched his muscles, lightening his hand on fire to see of the woman didn't make him drink a potion to steal his magic. Walking out of his room, he closed the door behind himself. Seeing the owner of the Inn, he waved at her, before walking down the stairs. Meeting Tillie and the others, he grabbed an apple that Aida quickly stole from a basket and ate it, walking in the town's direction.

After a few minutes of walking, the group arrived the town. Deciding that each was going on a separate way and agreeing to meet there when the sun was high, they all went in their direction, determinate to find more about Thaga.

.~.~.

Sky had lost count of how many people she had spoken to. At least twelve old men, three ladies that tried to set her up with their sons, seven males that kept ogling her like she was an Adeshian girl and lots and lots of children. Taking a break to sit down in a small alley, she looked at the broken mirror beside her. She saw nothing special. Brown wavy hair, blue eyes, tanned skin, small body… She guessed that it was the clothes. There weren't many people that wore white. Or maybe it was her styled pants. Her left leg was full and the right leg was cut to shorts. Or the small clothe that she had on her waist like a sided skirt. Or the turquoise V neck top, sleeveless. Whatever it was, she didn't know. Standing up, she was about to walk away again when she saw a child being pushed to the floor. Being the protective woman she always had been, she went to them and pushed the bullies away, exclaiming:

"What on Eanna are you doing? She did nothing wrong‼"

"Leave us, lady, or you're getting it too!" One of the kids said. Sky frowned and stood up, asking "What did you say?"

"I said piss off!" he told her. Sky lighted up her glove and from it appeared a lightening. It blasted and thundered, making the kids yelp and get scared. She stared at the kid in the eye and asked him again "What did you say?"

"N-nothing, miss. I-I'm sorry for off-offending you."

"Now that's what I thought." She said "Get out of here and leave this little girl alone."

The kids followed her threat and took off, leaving behind them a dusty cloud. Sky turned to the little girl behind her and gave out a hand, smiling to her. The little girl looked up to Sky and took her hand, standing up with her help. She dusted her clothes off and smiled to Sky, thanking her for her help. Sky only replied by 'it was the least she could do' and the girl told her, if she ever needed anything, she could ask her.

"Actually… There is something you can do for me."

"Of course. What is it?"

"Me and my friends are looking for someone. The name is Thaga. Have you ever heard of it?" Sky asked.

"It depends." The little girl said. "On what?" Sky asked. "On what is your business with Thaga."

"We are trying to catch that person. You see, Thaga is a bandit. And he must be brought to justice." Sky said, placing one knee on the floor, in front of the girl.

"Thaga is not a bandit. She's a good person. You just say that she's mean because you are a grown up." The little girl said, crossing her arms.

"Well, I don't want to think wrong of her. Could you tell me what makes her good?"

"She's a really good person. And the grown up only think that she's bad for two reasons. First, they're rich and are mad at her because she steals from them. And second, they are poor and are ashamed to admit that Thaga helped them. Through us. She steals the money and the food from the rich people and then gives it to us, so that we can bring it home. We get punished because our parents think we stole the food, but we don't care. As long as our family is good, we are happy and gladly take the punishments. Until they just stop punishing us. And let us bring the food home."

"But one day she won't be around. Where will you get the food then?"

"That is why she's also teaching the older ones to hunt. Fishes and meat and how to tell which berries are poisonous and which are not. She's a really good person. Please don't hurt her." The little girl beg, grabbing Sky's hands.

"I promise I will do my best to make sure that Thaga is fine, okay?" the brunette smiled. The little girl hugged Sky and then took off, waving at Sky before disappearing in the markets.

'I guess I should take the news to Aida' Sky thought, seeing the sun up in the sky.

.~.~.

"Hey guys!" Tillie waved, running to them.

Aida was sitting in the shadow, playing with one of her daggers. Jace was standing up, but also in the shadow. Sky was sitting down on an empty barrel and Zander stood beside her, playing with his fire. Tillie frowned at them, they all seemed to have in hand their weapons, Sky being enjoying herself with flashing her thunder and Jace was just leaning onto his sword. Tillie stood in front of them and asked:

"What did I miss?"

"See those three men over there?" Aida asked, pointing at them with her dagger "They thought that it was smart to ambush us and kick us out of here when we started asking around about Thaga. Once we grabbed our weapons, they backed away. Now everybody is showing off because we could use some time without being kicked out."

"Well, I have news. Can you put those things down and talk?" Tillie asked. "Nope." Jace said "Let's sit down and talk."

"Okay, fine. Who starts?"

"I can start." Jace said "Of all the people I've talked to, aside of the ladies trying to hook me up with their daughters and the men threatening me, I learned that everyone hates this guy's guts, the old people admire him, but want his ass in jail and the kids think he rocks."

"I've got pretty much the same." Zander said "The elders believe that, even though he may have a good heart, he's still a bandit and want to throw his ass away, but when I asked where I could find him, they all shut up. And I don't get the kids, really."

"Well…" Tillie said "The ladies said that he was the one that has been stealing all the food and money, making the rich people disappear from the map and they said that he should be locked down. And then tried to set me up. When I told them I was married, they all told me to piss off."

"I got a different response." Aida said "The men around here have no idea of what is going on. They organized several hunting groups to take this guy out, but he vanishes in the woods like he's a freaking ghost. And I met one of the rich people. He's now living in a shed. He told me how his supplies were attacked, and what looked like a several men attack, was simply one person. It was effective and straight to the point. The thing is… This Thaga guy attacked and then kids came to help him take away all the stuff. I kinda got lost there."

"I know what is happening." Sky declared "This Thaga person… He's not a bandit. He's a vigilant. He is helping this people through the children. One of the kids told me Thaga is the one who brings the food and money and that the kids take it all home. To feed their family. To help them. And that's not just it. Thaga is teaching them how to survive. He's teaching them what is good and what is bad, how to hunt and how to survive. And I got the impression that it's a _she_."

"Wait, I forgot something!" Tillie added "There's this guy, an elder, that has actually seen Thaga. He told me to come back at sunset and he'll tell us what we want to know."

"Then we're going to meet this elder guy and we finally get what we're dealing with." Aida said, standing up and putting the daggers back on the hilts.

* * *

"This is it." Tillie told them, knocking on the door.

They waited for a few moments, until an old man opened up. Recognizing Tillie, he told them to come inside, that he was waiting for them. Everyone walked in and took a seat on the floor, whilst the old man sat on the cushion. He eyed them up and down and asked them to introduce themselves. So they did. The elder said that he was sorry for all the misery that they were put through, and that Aida had to carry such a weight on her shoulders. Looking at each other to try and find out how did the old man knew, he said that he could feel it. Their hearts spoke it out loud. And then, the old man opened his eyes. And the group understood how he knew.

He was a Kaleik.

"I'm sorry for all the secrecy." He said "My name is Coen. It's a pleasure."

"It's fine, old man." Aida replied "You said you knew who this guy was."

"I did. I saw Thaga. And please, correct yourself, princess. It is not a he, it is a she. Thaga is a female."

"How do you know? Oh, right, you've seen her." Jace said "What is she like?"

"I don't know. I only saw her in a glance. When she was bringing a bandaged orphan child to this village. I believe that Miss Sky met her. She is a strong defender of Thaga."

"You mean, the little girl from earlier…?" the brunette asked, receiving a nod from the elder.

"Yes. Thaga can be or not a bad person. It depends of what side of the story you know. And, as you know both sides, it's your own choice to make."

"We still need to bring her to justice. You don't just steal." Aida stated.

"Then what have you been doing all your life, Aida?" the elder asked, making the noble stutter and look away. "As I was saying, it is in your own power to decide if Thaga should be brought to justice. She is a criminal, yes. But does she help people with her crimes? Yes, she does. It lays on your hands the future of that girl. Now leave. I've told you everything you need to know."

"Thank you." Tillie said, and left the house.

The group left the village in silence, trying to decide what they should do. Sky suggested that they should vote, but Zander told her it wasn't as simple as that. First, they had to find her, then they decided, based on what the girl's response would be. The forest was quiet, the only sound was the grass being stepped on by them. They walked their way back to the Inn, so that the next day they would part and try to track Thaga down. They were half way through the route, and Aida had a bugging feeling on her head that something was not right. They kept walking. But Aida took out her daggers and positioned herself. They were almost in the Inn, but they were still in the forest. Aida suddenly relaxed. She heard a bird sing. It was the signal that everything was okay.

"Aida, watch out!"

The girl froze in that moment. She didn't move, and yet, she wasn't hit. Instead, something passed right next to her, and pierced the tree in front of her. Everyone stood alert, making a circle and covering every directions, but nothing else came. And, few minutes later, the forest began singing and making noises again. Aida noticed that she was bleeding from the cheek that was turned to the side where the weapon came. Looking at the tree, she saw an arrow, and pulled it out. When she did, she gasped.

"What is it?" Sky asked, waking to her.

"It's… It's an arrow."

"We can see that." Zander said "And what about it?"

"It's an arrow… Purely made of metal."

"What? Let me see that." Jace requested, grabbing the arrow. It was indeed. Instead of having the wood and the soft feather on the arrow, all of it was made of metal. Jace frowned, he had never seen something like this. But Aida did. She knew she did. She knew that she had seen this kind of arrow before, but she didn't know where. Going back to the Inn, they decided to sleep in one room, not taking the chance that something happening to them again.


	3. Chapter 3: I Know Who Thaga Is

**Hi there!**

 **How are you? I hope you're doing good because I have a fresh new chapter for you! So, grab your pillow, if you're at your house, your favorite furry blanket and your best teddy bear, 'cuz this is gonna rock! I thank right now to the people that have been reviewing in this story, eroticlad11 and LadyDiamond92. You guys are the best, and I just love you bad!  
**

 **I really don't have anything to say today except that I'm too tired for partying so hard last night and this lil' Queen B is gonna go back to bed!**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- eroticlad11, I'm glad you liked it! Read ahead!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, Robin Hood, huh? Didn't really thought of that... Nice! I'm glad you like her, I can only hope that you like this chapter as well! :D**

 **Now, let's get this over with...**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: I Know Who Thaga Is.**

* * *

 _Aida woke up. She was no longer in the Inn. She looked around, and she didn't see any of her friends. That's weird. She could have sworn that Jace's chest has her pillow the night before. If he left, she would have felt it. Where was she, anyway? Looking down at herself, Aida saw, not the usual outfit she wore, but a ripped short sleeved black shirt and brown pants, with brown sandals. Her hand rose to her hair and noticed that it was hard and dirty. She left the place where she was and saw a camp._

 _A camp with many, many children. Some sitting down eating, others fighting with sticks, others just fooling around. She looked around. The few adults there were tending to other children, bandaging them up on feeding them, since most of them couldn't eat properly. She realized that she too was a child. She sat beside the few around the fire eating and took the dish that one of the kids gave to her. She started eating. The rusty and somewhat wishy-washy flavor brought her back memories, from a time she didn't recall. She ate slowly, hearing the other kids talking about becoming good warriors and entering the Order, and others saying that they were going to marry princesses and be rich. There weren't many girls around, they were mostly boys._

 _"Hey, Silver." A voice said._

 _She turned to the voice and saw a girl. She was smirking down to her. Her hair was messy and dirty like her own, pulled into two pigtails, and it was a deep shade of bronze. Her eyes were dark blue and she wore a short brown top with ripped grey pants and sandals. Feeling a tug in her heart without knowing why, Aida nodded to the girl and gave her room to sit down. So she did. Seeing that the girl had her right and left hand bandaged, Aida asked, not knowing why:_

 _"Have you been playing with the fire again?"_

 _"No," she answered, picking up her food "the fire has been playing with me."_

 _It was calm after that. Aida found herself enjoying the girl's company, not knowing why, and even allowed her to drag her into several matches, to see who could win. Aida won the stick fight and the hide and seek, whilst the girl one the shook the duck, herself and Aida being the ducks and the whip challenge, the close combat ending in a draw. They were sitting down and laughing when the screaming started. Both stood up and grabbed the younger kids, bringing them to protection. It was basic instinct, and it seemed like both had it. Aida was trying to get a kid to be quiet and stop crying when the other girl called out her name. Looking in her direction, she only felt herself being shoved to the ground. Once she stood…_

 _"You're bleeding!" Aida yelled, seeing the girl's clothes becoming soaked with blood._

 _"It's fine, Aida." The girl said. "What matters is that you're okay."_

 _"Hang on, I'm going to get this thing out." She told her, moving to the weapon that caused the wound. She gasped._

 _It was an arrow. An arrow purely made out of metal._

Aida woke up panting and screaming. She sat down on the bed and started crying. Not that she wanted to. Only that her heart needed. Few seconds later, she felt two strong arms wrapping around her and pulling her to an equally strong chest. The warmth, the softness, the feeling of home… She didn't need to look up to see who was hugging her. She clutched to his white shirt, leaving it stained with tears. He didn't seem like minding, though. He wanted to know what was going on, but he could wait. Aida let out all the pain in her chest. All the tears, all the angst, all the loss that she felt for that blue eyed child that she didn't know, but her heart did. That smirking little girl that felt like a twin to Aida. That little smirking girl that saved Aida's life.

"I… She was hit. She was hit! She died!"

"It's okay, Aida. It's okay…" Jace's soothing voice ringed in her ears.

"I… She jumped in front of that damned arrow to save me! Why would she do that? And I don't even remember her name! I'm such an horrible person!" Aida rambled.

"She was saving you, Aida… She was saving you." Jace guessed. For what Aida was saying, it seemed like it was the fact ""She wanted you to live. She cared about you, Aida."

"And I care for her too! So why can't I remember her name?!" she let out, crying even harder. Jace sighed and said "It's okay, Aida. It was a long time ago. I'm sure you will remember."

"I hate this! I hate this! Why did she had to die? Why? She was such a cool person! She was me!"

"What do you mean?" he asked. Aida took a shaky breath and said "She was me, Jace. She was just like me. She wasn't a noble, but she had the same spirit, the same strength, the same glow in the eye! The same power… The same heart."

"Aida… Look, it's going to be okay… Everything is going to be okay. You are going to remember this girl's name and we're going to visit her and you can talk to her, okay?" he tried.

"But she's dead, Jace! She's dead!"

"It doesn't matter." He told her "She's still in your heart. And that means she still lives. The sacrifice she took to save you means that she lives within you. Her soul and her memory are alive inside of you."

"You really think so?" she asked, looking up to his blue eyes.

"I do, Aida. I do." He said, smiling.

"Thank you, Jace…" she whispered, hiding her face in his chest again.

"And that was it… When I saw the damned arrow, I woke up." Aida finished.

She had been telling her friends about her dream for the last half an hour. Everyone was in their beds, and stared at Aida, while she told the story. Jace kept her in his arms, soothing her, but no longer kept her in the same strong embrace. From time to time he would increase his hold on her, to show her he was there, and she immediately calmed down. Sky had tears in her eyes as well, Zander seemed to be sharing her pain and Tillie only stared, hands over her mouth.

"The arrow was just like the one we saw?" Zander asked.

"Yes. The one that tried to kill me."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Jace said. Aida turned to him and asked "What do you mean?"

"Aida, whoever hit the tree instead of you did it on purpose. I saw the hole that the arrow left in the tree. And you were completely still. The arrow didn't hit you because that wasn't the archer's intention. Maybe he just wanted you to find the arrow. To remember this situation."

"With what point? I still can't remember the girl's name."

"You will. Don't worry. We can go to the city and ask around where was this arrow made. And with that, we find this person and take them down."

"Okay…"

.~.~.

"Hello." Zander said, turning to the blacksmith of the small town. The robust man turned to him and asked:

"What?"

"I need your help with something." The elf said, showing him the arrow "Do you know anything about this?"

"And if I do?" the man asked, crossing his arms.

"Then I would appreciate if you told me such." Zander replied.

"I suddenly forgot." The man said, showing the blue-eyed elf a smug smile. Zander frowned and said "And I suddenly realized that almost everything in your shop is flammable."

"So?" the blacksmith asked. Zander lighted his hand on fire and said "If you don't want your life support to burn down to the ground, I strongly suggest that you start talking."

"She came here yesterday. It was morning, I had just opened my shop. She showed up and told me she wanted an arrow. I showed her several ones and she told me she wanted an arrow purely made of metal. I told her it was not possible and… Well, she threatened me. She told me she would come back when the sun started to set. I did what she asked me. She returned and she took the arrow and, as a payment, gave me a sword. And then she left."

"What was she like? Her appearance."

"Well… She was covered by a black cape and hood, so I can't tell much about her."

"Then how can you tell that it was a female?" Zander asked, frowning. The man smirked and leaned down, whispering "When she moved to take out the sword… She pushed away the cape. And man, if that girl isn't Adeshian, the old kings have blessed us with a goddess. I mean, that pair of guns is the one of the biggest I've ever seen!"

"Hum. Thank you." He said, turning away.

Zander walked away from the dreaming man. So, they were looking for a woman with a body of an Adeshian. Well, that certainly narrowed it down. And there was still the mystery of Aida's most recent dream. She wasn't going to let it go, that was for sure. He looked over, seeing the children play, and suddenly remembered Seena, back in Ildis, with Airdan. He trusted the elf, but Seena was still his responsibility. When he stepped into the woods, he heard the birds singing, and smiled, walking back to the Inn. When he finally reached the place, it was almost night time. He went up to the room and entered.

"Took you long. Did the blacksmith tried to offer you a job?" Aida asked, smirking.

"Very funny, Aida." He said, sitting on the floor next to Tillie. "A woman was the requester of the arrow. She was covered with a cape. The only thing that I got from the blacksmith was that there's a chance that she's Adeshian and that's she a rather… Demanding woman."

"She threatened him. Why do you say she's Adeshian?"

"That or this woman has a body of a goddess. According to the blacksmith."

"How did she pay for the arrow?" Jace asked.

"Traded the arrow for a sword."

"A sword? Maybe to make up for the loss of metal. She has no money. She's teaching kids how to survive. She's helping the poor, making them richer. She's beating the crap out of wealthy men. She's tactical and very much experienced in assault missions."

"Basically… Who is this woman?" Aida said, frowning.

"I really don't know…" Sky said, walking to the window. "The stars are coming up. We should get some sleep."

As soon as those words came out of her mouth, a 'crash' sound was all that was heard. The window in front of Skye broke and something brought her down. The brunette yelled, of course, and everyone grabbed their weapons ready to charge. Unfortunately, they couldn't make a move. Because the figure standing behind Sky had a dagger on her throat. Everyone stared at the figure, trying to figure out what to do. No one had a clear shot, Sky was in the line of fire. The brunette was crying, afraid, and Aida was trying to tell her everything was going to be okay. But the dagger only tightened around her throat. Sky gulped and told her it was alright, they could try and take her out. And then, out of the sudden, the figure collapsed on the floor, taking Sky with her.

And behind them stood Diego.

The group was in the room, surrounding the figure sitting in the chair. The hands were tied by rope and the feet as well. Any weapons that they found in the figure were taken away, even though the only ones they found were the dagger she was holding and a whip on her left hip. Nothing else. Aida was watching while Sky calmed herself down in Diego's arms and Jace stood next to her, while Tillie and Zander finished making a couple of potions. Once they were done, they called Aida, whom walked to them and placed the small bottles on a table, for them to use later. Watching Sky get up and smile a little, the noble nodded and turned to the figure.

"Let's find out who the fuck is trying to kill us." Aida declared, pulling the hood away from the figure's face.

They uncovered the head, and ripped away the rest of the cape. They stood in front of a fit young woman, curvaceous and tanned skin. She was dressed in a tight black halter top that reached her stomach, three blood red leather straps that tied around her chest, keeping the empty hilt on her back; black tight pants and black leather boots, with grey straps. Around her waist was a grey belt with dark buckles, around her neck was a black collar with a red medallion and for last, her arms were covered by bandages, some old, others fresh. Diego dumped a bucket of water on her head and affirmed:

"Wake up."

"I have to say…" a beautiful but a little hoarse voice said "Waking up with water is preferable to waking up with someone's fist on my face."

"Name yourself." He demanded. "Thaga." She answered.

"Your real name." Aida said, crossing her arms.

"I have lived under the name of Thaga for so long that I don't recall. I'm sorry."

"Look at us." Zander said. "Only when I drink a disguise potion." She said.

"What makes you think we have that potion?" Diego asked. The woman chuckled and affirmed "Because unless any one of you has a twisted taste, I believe that the smell of sulfur belongs to the disguise potion."

"How do you know?" Tillie asked, stepping forward. "I know that potion by heart, darling. Let me have it and I can raise my head."

"Why can't you raise your head now?" Sky asked.

"Doesn't matter. Give me the potion and you get all the answers you need." She said. Tillie grabbed the potion and gave it to her, which she immediately drank, shaking her head after. Few seconds later, she rose her head and looked up to Diego.

Her face was oval, and tanned too. Her nose was small and pointy. Her lips were fleshy and blood red. Her bronze hair was long, pulled in a high ponytail, and reached the middle of her back, a few strands of hair covering her small forehead. But her eyes… Her eyes were big, with a heavy eyeliner, and dark blue. Aida gasped. Seeing those eyes, that daring expression, that glint in the eye… She knew. And, without being able to stop herself, Aida whispered:

"Malia."

"Hello Aida."

* * *

 **A/N: Tell me what you think!**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Leaving With the New Girl

**Hey guys! Happy Sunday!**

 **I hope you are rejoicing this Sunday as I am! You see, yesterday being a Saturday, I was working, and it does no good to a person when she works on Saturdays. Trust me, I know... And since tomorrow is a National holiday (here in Portugal, we have something called Liberty Day because it was the day we set free from a opression of the government [Google that shit])** **we are allowed to do nothing! It's so cool :D**

 **Anyway, REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- eroticlad11, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Read ahead!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, Yeah, it's true. Aida does know Thaga. As to the two being related, I guess you can see it for yourself in this chapter! Lots of love, and enjoy!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Leaving With The New Girl.**

* * *

"Hello Aida."

"How did you… I thought… I thought you died!" she exclaimed, stepping in front of the woman.

"I almost did. But you don't remember."

"What happened?"

"Well… When you saw the arrow… You freaked out. I told you to pull it out, and you did. After that, we ran to the survivors. There was no one left. We ran to the woods. You fell and hit your head. You passed out. And I realized that we could no longer be like this. I found a small camp and left you there. Then I walked away. Because first, I was dying. And second, I needed to get away. Because you and I both know that there was something freaky about the attacks."

"You're right… I…"

"Don't you dare saying it. It wasn't your fault. It was my decision. Don't blame yourself for my mistakes."

"What happened then?" Aida asked. "What do you mean?"

"Well… After you left me in the camp."

"I… I continued to fight for my life. I ended up in a hospital. In Adeshia. And after that… It was just a blur. I don't remember much."

"Okay, it's enough." Diego said. "Are you Thaga?"

"Well, if it isn't the famous Diego… Yes. I am."

"Why are you attacking them?"

"Because they were hired to kill me. I am helping the people. I am making sure that the city stands strong. Because the Silver Order, or what's left of it, is destroying everyone. I am fighting in the background. Making sure we don't have to repopulate the entire world."

"Have you ever killed a member of the Silver order?" Zander asked. "I think so, yes." She declared. "I don't remember very much of the details, but I was fighting one and after I woke from my blackout, his condition sure looked like a killing that I made."

"Define killing that you made." Aida frowned. "Well… I do not wish to upset your young mind, but body unrecognizable, basically." Malia answered, shrugging.

"Malia. Right?" Sky asked. The girl looked at her and nodded. Sky smiled a little and asked "Why didn't you escape? When Diego was behind you. Why didn't you…?"

"If I moved, I would have to turn my back. I had two choices. First, to move and be killed by Aida. Second, not move and be killed by Diego. I chose Diego."

"Why?" Tillie asked. "Because Aida can't kill me. I put my hand on the fire for that."

"How can you be so sure?" the noble asked, placing her dagger against her throat. "Because you can't." she simply told her "You can't kill an equal. You'll know what I mean soon."

"I wanna know now." She stated, frowning. "You can't. Because you are turning me in to the villagers, aren't you? They will kill me. And you will never get your answers."

"She's right. It is our job." Jace said, exchanging looks with Zander and Tillie.

"No. You are coming with us. It's decided. We leave tomorrow. When the sun rises."

"Then you should get some sleep, no?" Malia asked, yawning "My body could use sleeping in a bed."

"Zander, she stays with you." Aida said "You are perfectly able to kill her if needed."

"Fine." The elf said, nodding. Sky turned to the Adeshian male and stated "Diego, stay for the night."

"I can't." he told her, gazing into her eyes "I have to go. I was just passing by when I saw the window show. I have some things to do."

"Oh… Okay…" the brunette let out, casting her eyes to the ground. Malia hissed the male's name and frowned at him. He sighed and cupped Sky's cheek, telling her "Hey. I will come back soon. I promise."

"You don't need to go all sweet with me. I understand. Just go." She told him, forcing a smile. He frowned, but nodded and left the room through the window, leaving the group behind to arrange themselves.

* * *

The sun was rising, waking up everyone. Sky and Tillie were the first, but decided to stay in bed, talking about their latest encounter with Diego, the dwarf teasing the brunette endlessly about it. In the room next to her, Aida was waking up, whilst Jace showed no signs of waking up from dreamland. Aida laid there for moments, feeling his arm wrapped around her shoulders, and his warm breathing on her nape. She gazed the horizon, trying to figure out what to do. Her heart ached whenever he was this close to her, but it was a nice pain. Not like the pain she felt when she saw Jace flirting with other women. No, that pain was different. That pain caused Aida to want to slide her daggers through every inch of those ivory bodies, seeing the life slowly draining from those eyes.

She sighed. She didn't want this. She didn't want Jace to flirt with them. She wanted Jace to flirt with her. But she knew that he wanted something else. And she wasn't sure she could give him that. She observed his face, calmly sleeping. It was like the frown that was permanently drawn in his face had fallen, and he was a worriless man. She smiled. She loved seeing him like this. She adored the soft smile that lightened his face. Those bitten cracked lips that were turned up, those lips that Aida felt the urge to kiss.

And so she did. Carefully rising to not wake him up, she caressed his spiky locks, before closing her eyes and pressing her lips to his. It was a soft and warm caress, but left Aida wanting more. The feeling of his lips against hers was fantastic, and the longer she allowed herself to stay in that position, the more she was becoming addicted to it. So she pulled away. She felt pride washing over her, as long as desire and a new feeling. She thought about love, but it couldn't right?

She left the bed and moved to get dressed. She was hoping to stop by Zander's room and check on him, since he had slept with the person they tried to kill. When she was finally dressed, she walked to their bed to wake Jace up, but she found it hard to accomplish. Because she didn't want to be the one that took that smile of his face. But she had to. So, she sat next to him and caressed his face, calling his name. His eyes blinked open, but soon closed them because of the sunlight. She waited. He opened them again and looked up, to Aida. He smiled.

"What?" she asked.

"I wish I could wake up with this vision every day."

"What vision?"

"You. Here with me." He told her, cupping her face. She blushed and leaned down, whispering "Let's make a deal. You will wake up with this vision if you promise me something."

"Anything, princess."

"Be brave. Be strong. Be alive. And most important… Be patient. Please."

"I will never die on you, Aida. You can believe in my words."

"Okay…" she said "We should leave. It's time."

"Aida?" he called "Yeah?" she answered.

"If you ever die on me… I will hunt down your spirit and give you an earful."

"I know you will." She told him, smiling.

.~.~.

Tillie walked along with Sky, whom was a little sad. The dwarf didn't have to ask what was wrong; she knew that Sky always stayed like this after a visit from Diego. Aida walked in front of them, seeming deep in thought, and Jace behind her, leaving Zander to walk in the end of the line with Malia, whom had her cape back on. He didn't seem to mind, though. The girl was quiet and compliant, she wasn't making any efforts to escape and was allowing them to guide her at their own will. They were entering the town, watching everyone stop their actions and gaze at them, while they transported the prisoner. The men had smug grins on their faces and were howling at her, the women eyed her with despise and the elders just snickered.

"NO‼ Thaga!"

A little girl, the same little girl that Sky had saved, broke through the crowd and ran to Malia, grabbing her leg and not letting go. The woman suffocated a whimper and fell on her knees, looking at the little girl in the eyes. She smiled and nuzzled her nose with her own, watching the little girl's tears fall like bullets. Malia's hands were still tied around her back and Zander was still holding them, but she didn't mind. The only thing that mattered was right in front of her. The little girl that had placed all of her faith in her, and she was sure that she didn't want to let her down. The little girl smiled through her tears, and begged her not to leave.

"I have to. I'm sorry."

"No! You can't! We're not strong enough yet! You can't leave!"

"Look… The very fact that you admit such is enough reason to prove to me and yourselves that you are ready. I taught you everything about survival. I've taught some of you how to fight. How to handle and wield a sword. How to dodge and evade. All you have to do is continue. Transmit. Share your knowledge with each other. And together, you will rise to become a strong army. I believe in you."

"Do you really have to go?" she asked.

"The disguise potion is wearing out… and yes, dear. I do."

"Can I see them?" she requested, smiling slightly. Malia sighed and said "Okay."

"Oh…" the little girl let out, few seconds later, while gazing into Malia's eyes. "I have to go now, okay?"

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, doll." Malia smiled and stood up, allowing the hoodie to cover her once more.

"We will rise, Thaga. And we will conquer the barriers that have been placed around us." The little girl stated.

"I'll be there to watch you when you do."

.~.~.

"There. This should do it."

Tillie had just finished another dose of disguise potion, and was giving it to Malia. The woman nodded and opened her mouth, allowing Tillie to give her the potion. They were currently on the other side of the forest, ready to catch a ship to return to Ildis. Jace was setting camp with Zander, Aida and Sky were fetching wood for the fire and Malia stayed still, her hands still behind her back. The rope was starting to hurt her wrists, but the female didn't mind. She was used. Tillie walked to her again and smiled, sitting down in front of her.

"Is there anything you need?" Malia asked her.

"Just some answers. Why do you need the potion? Where do you know Diego from? And most important, what is your relationship with Aida?"

"I need this potion because I don't want to kill anyone out of fear. I know Diego from Adeshia. We've known each other for quite a while. He taught me how to shoot an arrow. And my relationship with Aida is family. Basically. I saved her life from the Silver Order, back when they still used the archers. I took her back to safety. And that was the last time I saw her."

"Why did you say you and Aida are equals?"

"Because we are. And that's as much explanation as you are going to receive."

"Why would you kill us out of fear if we saw who you really are?" Tillie asked. Malia chuckled and answered:

"You better pray to never know the answer to that question."

"We're back!" Sky exclaimed, walking out of woods with a pouting Aida behind her.

"Aida, what happened?" Tillie asked.

"She found a wild pig and tried to hunt it, but one of the kids from the village got there before her. And she's mad at me because I stopped her from stealing the pig from the kid."

"Aida…" Tillie called, while laughing. Sky joined her and soon they were all laughing, Malia even showing off a small smile.

Eventually everyone sat around the fire to eat, Malia being more distant from the rest. Even after Tillie asked her if she wanted to come closer to the fire, she refused, and sat in the shadows. As everyone was getting ready to sleep, Malia nodded her head to them and climbed the tree, leaning against the main trunk, one of her legs bent and the other dangling from the thick branch she was sitting on. Zander looked up to her and frowned, but immediately dismissed the thought of her running away. She seemed calm enough around them. The fire burned the wood, keeping the sleeping bodies warm and Malia allowed herself to close her eyes.

"Pssst!"

"Huh?" Malia let out, opening her eyes. Looking down, she saw Sky standing there, looking up to her with a wary expression. Motioning her to climb up, once the brunette was close enough, Malia took her hand and pulled her up to her side. "You should be sleeping."

"I know, but I can't sleep." Sky told her "Malia, I need your help."

"In what area could you possibly need my help?"

"Diego. I need your help to make me strong. So that he sees more in me." Sky told her.

"Sky… Me and Diego are not that tight. We are comrades in battle. Nothing more."

"Teach me how to be like you then. Because he seems to like you. Since you know him and such."

"Here is the thing. Diego does know me. But he doesn't recognize me. My physical appearance changes when I drink the potion, as you probably noticed by now." Malia explained.

"So, Diego only recognizes you when you're not under the effects of the potion?" Sky frowned.

"Exactly. I changed. I used to be a different person. Mean, not caring about anyone. Look at me now. I have a group of humans that would put their hands on the fire for me. I have a group of soldiers that would follow me into every battle if I asked them to. I have, as weird as this might sound, I have friends."

"Wow."

"What?"

"You are a lot like Aida." Sky told her, smiling.

"Back there, Aida was the only one I could trust. And I was the only one she could trust. You know, being a half noble and all that." Malia explained.

"You knew she was a half noble?"

"Since the second I put my eyes on her." Malia smiled "It takes one to recognize another. The broken look, the misplaced heart, the unrequired soul… It's easy to recognize an equal."

"I'm still waiting for an explanation on that."

"I know. And about Diego… Don't change. He already likes you the way you are." The woman told her.

"How could you know?"

"Remember when I hissed his name when he was about to leave?"

"Yeah…"

"If he didn't like you, he would have told me to fuck myself. Men are like this. Sometimes, all they need is a small slap in the back of the head and a yell on their ears to realize what they're doing wrong." Malia told her, smiling softly.

"You are so beautiful…" Sky told her "And thank you."

"Thank you. You should probably get some sleep. In a few hours, the sun will be rising."

"Can I sleep here with you?"

"I can't recall the last time anyone asked me such…" the woman told her "But okay. Come here…"

* * *

 **A/N: Looks like Malia (Thaga) is already making friends!**

 **Tell me what you think!**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	5. Chapter 5: Rogue

**Hey there people!**

 **So, I was supposed to publish this tomorrow, since I thought that I had no time today, but since Johnny boy let his game paused for a while, here I am to publish a whole new chapter! What do you think? Was the effort to get out of bed today enough?**

 **Sorry for not being that talkative today, I've been having some problems with my relationship, but I don't wanna bother you with my endless whining, so I will end this right here. Thank you for of you that have been reading and only the few that have been reviewing. It's quite alright, I understand that it's too much of a hassel. But thanks anyway for reading and know that I appreciate your effort.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, I'm glad you liked it. Today we have a little something that I like to call deep sexiness. What do you think? Sounds good? :D**

 **Anyway, eroticlad11 hasn't been able to respond to the last chapter, let's see if he can review to this one!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Rogue.**

* * *

Their walk back to the port was quiet, everyone still restless from the night before. None had been able to sleep correctly, since the floor of the forest was even harder than most of the floors they had slept on, and a fire had broken in the forest, making them wake up in the middle of the night with animals almost running over their camp. The only ones that didn't bear marks from the animals were Sky and Malia, that had slept on the tree, embraced with each other, but the riot had woken them up too, and Malia was Sky's only salvation from falling, when the brunette woke up with a jump and almost fell down the tree.

"Good morning, Aida!" a happy voice brought them back to Earth.

"Hey Nina." Tillie said, smiling to the Lith.

"What's up with you? Damn, people! You look like you were hit by a bull on fire!" the raven haired captain exclaimed.

"Try a dozen of them…" Zander whispered, sitting down on the boat and resting his head on the edge of the boat.

"Should I prepare a couple of rooms for you?" she guessed, smiling.

"Yes please…" Sky answered.

"I'll be right back. And, Sky, Diego stopped by. He asked me to give you something." Nina told her, smiling.

"What? Really?"

"Yes. Come with me."

"Ugh, I could sleep through an earthquake right now…" Jace groaned "There's none of such around right now, so why don't you try and sleep through a boat trip?" Malia asked.

"Hum…" Zander frowned but Malia answered to their thoughts "I won't kill you. I'm not in the mood. You should get some sleep. If we get there, I'll wake you up. Otherwise, I'll be in the upper deck."

"Okay." Aida said "Malia?"

"Yes, Aida?"

"Thanks. For saving Sky."

"It was nothing." The woman said, nodding to them and walking away.

.~.~.

In was in the middle of the night when Zander woke up. He shot up on his bed, panting. He had a weird dream, but somehow, he couldn't grasp on what it was about. He just knew it was weird, and Malia was there in his dream. He got up and ruffled his hair, before opening the door of his cabin and stepping out, hearing the calm and soft snore of Aida from the cabin beside himself. He smirked and walked to the main deck, feeling the cool and salty breeze wipe away all traces of sleep. He looked around and saw a black cape waving at the wind, so he walked to its' direction.

There she was, sitting on the upper deck, where she said she would be in the morning. Zander frowned. Had she really not moved from that place since the morning before? Eyeing the small plate of unfinished food, he guessed his hunch was correct. He saw her gazing into the horizon that they were getting away from. Her face illuminated by the pale light of the moonlight, her eyes glowing, her dark painted lips parted. Her small hands wrapped around her knees, pressing the limbs against her chest. He sat down next to her and fixated his gaze on the horizon as well.

"You were supposed to be asleep."

"You were supposed to be chained to a bed and locked in a room. But you're not."

"I know you don't like me. Hell, it's hard to like someone that tried to kill you. Though Sky and Diego may be the exception."

"How do you know?" Zander asked.

"I've known Diego long enough to understand what he means just by one simple look. And Sky? She's easy to read. And the fact that her pulse quickened, her breathing speeded and a blush appeared on her face when Nina told her about the present is an added proof of what I'm saying."

"You are good at evaluating people." Zander observed.

"I wasn't always a criminal." Malia told him, closing her eyes.

"Why are you scared of going to Illdis?"

"How do you know?" Malia asked, looking at him.

"You're not the only one good at evaluating people." Zander declared, smirking.

"I had a trouble back then with Lord Morthil. He executed my best friend. He was a Kaleik. Smart witted asshole, but with a big heart. He tried to save a little Lith from a family's hands. Unfortunately, that family was friends with Morthil and he got his hands on Alec, and he died."

"I'm sorry."

"For what? All I want is his head."

"Well, then you better get in line, because you are not the only one. And I'm sorry because… He's my father."

"Your father? I knew you look familiar… It was you whom he called after when I was about to kill him."

"What? You tried to kill him?" Zander asked, turning to her.

"Yes. Diego provided me the window. But in the end… I couldn't do it. Because he was just a pitiful man that felt the loss of one of his child."

"But he doesn't like me. He's ashamed of me, actually."

"That's what they all say, Zander. Until their evil comes to bite them in the ass. I remember him begging for his life. Calling out for you."

"Oh… I…"

"And now you're going to hate me even more now that you know I tried to kill your father."

"Not really. I'm glad you tried." He told her, watching the horizon again.

"Hey Zander?" Malia called out after a few minutes.

"Yeah?"

"You shouldn't walk around without a shirt on. A girl might start to fall." She told him, blowing her bangs away from her eyes.

Zander looked down at himself. He had been so focused in trying to get out of that hot room that he didn't even remembered that he was only wearing his pants. His muscles stood proudly over his skin, rippling down his chest. His strong pectorals were like blades, hard and defined. His six-pack, designing his lower torso, going down to join the deep 'V' that formed in his hip line. His arms, thick and muscled, flexing slightly with the movement he was doing to stand in the relaxed position that he was. He wasn't scary bulky, but he wasn't thin either.

"You seem to talk by experience." He teased.

"Of course. Who am I but a simple woman with carnal desires?" she teased back "Besides, you're taking a tool on me. Do you know how hard it is to a woman not to jump on your bones right now?"

"I highly doubt that I have that kind of sexual attraction among the female counterpart." He stated.

But he shouldn't had said that. Because, as soon as those words left his mouth, Malia was straddling his lap and her hands were resting over his. He gulped and looked up, to gaze into her eyes. He was about to push her away when he found her powerful gaze. And, just like that, he was petrified. She had him hooked, frozen, under her fixating gaze. Her full red lips were parted once more and, for some reason, he couldn't remove his gaze from them. His breath started to quicken, the pulse beneath his skin altering, his body hot. Hotter than usual.

"Are you sure?" she whispered, only for his ears to hear, settling better on his lap.

And, just like that, her heat involved him too. Her hands, before over his, were now on his six-pack, her black polished nails scratching lightly the skin. He sucked in a breath, she was the first person to ever touch him like this. So light, and yet so intimate. Like she was afraid to break him. But the way she yanked on his hair to look into his eyes was nothing but gentle. Her eyes were powerful, and Zander found out that she was also experienced in the art of seduction. How else could she possibly make him wanting her in a physical manner? He found himself undressing her with his eyes, taking in what she could ever offer him.

"I don't know anymore..."

"Me either, Zander... But I'm pretty sure you know what you want."

"I think so..."

"Tell me..." she whispered, the hair in his head tightening her grip.

"I... I think it's you..."

She smiled. He whispered a few more words, but lost them in the heat of the moment. He never thought he could like the heat more than his own, but he was slowly finding out that the heat that emanated from Malia's body was one he could get used to. One that he was starting to like. How could she be so hot over him, and not feel affected by him? Unless she was affected. But she just didn't show it. Her face leaned closer to his, and his stomach was doing back-flips with excitement. As she leaned in closer, one of the hands that he was using to support himself moved to her hip, and rested there.

"Malia..." he whispered.

"Zander..." she called.

They were inches away from each other and yet, they still looked at each other's eyes for any clue to not cross this barrier. Hell, she tried to kill him four nights ago! And now she was pining him down, ready to kiss him, and he was letting? Maybe it was irrational. But it felt good. Their lips ghosted over each other, sending a jolt down their spines. And, just like that, her lips glued to his. He was a man highly experienced and wise in the vocabulary area, but it was now hard to find a word to describe the kiss he was receiving. Fantastic wasn't good enough. Awesome? Too slangy. He needed something exquisite, something formal, but enough dreamy to describe the sensations running through his body while she kissed him. All he could think about was one thing:

"Malia..."

"I... I'm sorry. I don't know what has gotten into me..." she said, pulling away. She was about to remove herself from his grasp when his other hand found his way to the back of her neck and pulled her down to him, crashing his lips against hers.

Perfect.

That was his lacking word. Her kisses were perfect, and he almost groaned when her fingers entwined in his hair. The hand that was holding her hip moved to the small of her lower back, before descending to her bottom and grabbing it, pulling her further to him. She whined against his lips, and raked her nails down his torso, leaving light colored lines down his chest, making him groan. Her lips parted from his and she watched his eyes slowly opening, traveling from hers to her lips back and forth. He exhaled and whispered:

"Malia..."

"Zander..."

"I... Your eyes... They're turning lighter..." he frowned.

"Oh my god." she let out "I have to go."

"Malia, wait!" he called out, but his words fell upon deaf ears. He watched her leave the upper deck and disappear into the night. Groaning, he fell on his back, looking up to the dark starry sky. "By the old Kings... What just happened?"

.~.~.

They arrived in Ildis soon, the sun being in its highest peak. It burned strongly above them, and it almost blinded them. Aida and Sky were together, couldn't wait to see Seena again, and Tillie was more hyperactive than ever, excited to see Airdan. Malia eyed them curiosly and Jace was next to Zander, frowning at the mage. He was quieter than usual, and he wasn't even dropping his occasional threats or witty comments. Which only made the knight even more worried.

But a scream woke them up from their highs. Seena was jumping up and down next to Airdan, and was waiting for his acceptance to run to the group. Once they were out of the boat, Airdan nodded his head to Seena, whom immediately ran and jumped into Aida's arms. The noble immediately hugged her back and laughed when Seena started talking Lithian again, asking the older woman why in the hell she took this long. Airdan, with his arm wrapped around Tillie's shoulders, suggested they could take the reunion to a more secure location and everyone accept it, Aida with Seena on her arms, Zander behind her, Jace with his hand on Malia's arm and Sky crying yet again.

Once they reached the major living room of Airdan's house, they all hugged and shook hands, Malia choosing to stay away for a while. It wasn't like she was going anywhere. She had nowhere to go anyway. And, while she watched Airdan smiling and talking to Zander, Tillie strongly wrapped in his hold, she couldn't help but feel happy for the little dwarf, that happy and cheerful persona that always seemed wrapped in a bubble of joy. And Sky and Aida, finally being able to sit down and talk some things through, especially the small gem necklace that hung from the brunette's neck. Malia smiled. That was a family.

"Rogue?" a soft voice called. Malia looked down to find Seena looking up to her.

"Excuse me?" she asked back, knowing that everyone had grown silent and now was watching the two.

"Rogue? Is that you?" the little Lith asked, a little louder this time. Malia frowned. It had been a long time since someone ever called her that. Could it be…?

"Minnie?"

"Rogue!" Seena shouted, jumping into her arms. Malia immediately caught her, and pulled her tight against her chest.

She knew every pair of eyes in that living room was watching the two of them, but Malia couldn't bring herself to care. It had been so long since the last time she had seen that little mouse, and she was going to enjoy the warmth that she was providing her, the heartfelt emotions that little girl was transmitting, the love that she could feel pouring from each pore of that little mouse, from each whimper or cry of that child. And she hugged her. Because she missed her too.

"You know each other?" Aida frowned.

"Since a very long time ago…" Malia told her, never removing her gaze from the little girl.

"How?" Sky asked.

"Remember when I told you I changed?" Malia asked, seeing the brunette nod "Seena was the one that changed me. Weren't you, Minnie?"

"Why do you keep calling her 'Minnie'?" Tillie asked.

"I used to read a story when I was little. It was about a little Lith called 'Minnie Mouse'. Seena was so much like her that I started calling her that."

"Why Rogue?" Jace asked.

"I'll tell you. I promise." Malia assured.

"Rogue? Are your arms…?"

"Yeah. Do you wanna play with them?" the bronze haired woman asked, smiling down to her.

"YES!"

.~.~.

Zander was sitting on the balcony. He was watching the city that rose beneath his feet, in a beautiful awaken of civilization, and yet, he felt unfocused. Maybe it was because he preferred the view of long vast forests and running rivers to the imposed modernization of the city. Or maybe it was because he was sitting there all by himself, while the others were inside, having fun. Or maybe it was because his thoughts couldn't help but return to the kiss of the night before, and consequently to Malia. What was wrong with his? She was addicting, yes, but… Why was he so fixated on her?

Hearing a soft whimper carried by the wind, he instinctively looked up. He saw nothing, but knew that he had heard right. He walked inside the house, finding Aida stretching on the couch, zooning out, and Jace talking to Airdan, Tillie and Sky gossiping about everything. No signs of Seena nor Malia, though. Voicing his question, Airdan told him the two were in Seena's room and that they had went there a long time ago. Excusing himself, he climbed the stairs in the direction of Seena's room, knowing that Tillie and Sky were already gossiping about him and Malia.

Reaching the wooden door and opening it slightly, he noticed they weren't inside. But he could hear their voices. So, walking in, he found the two sitting on Seena's balcony, and what they were doing made Zander gasp. Seena was sitting in front of Malia, her brow focused, and Malia was with her arms stretched for the girl, watching her carefully while the little Lith's hands glowing and ghosting over her skin, while her tiny lips moved in an enchanted song. But that wasn't why Zander gasped.

Zander gasped because he saw. Malia's arms were disposed of the bandages that usually covered them, and now he understood why she wore them. Every inch of her perfect flawless tanned skin of her arms was covered in deep dark wizened skin, full with visible veins of lighter skin. The markings were obvious, let alone painful, but Malia made no flinch whenever Seena touched her skin. But, while the Lith's small fingertips were grazing over Malia's arms, the skin began to stretch, to soften, to become the flawless skin what once were. It was taking some time, but it was succeeding.

"What happened to you?" Zander asked, not being able to stop himself. Malia looked up and gasped, hiding her arms behind her back immediately.

"Zander!" Seena exclaimed, standing up.

"I asked, what happened to you?" he repeated, frowning.

"It's a long story."

"Why didn't you come for me to heal? Why Seena? And since when you have healing powers?"

"I learns from Tye… Tye helped Seena find a book about healing lying around, and Seena went to read it."

"Seena, you are not a mage. How can you reproduce the spells?"

"Because she is an Ileth. Traces of magic are still in her blood. Some spirits give the Lith strength, other speed… Seena's spirit, Tye, gave her magic. And it's a kind of magic that is good."

"But why didn't you come to me for healing?" Zander asked, turning to Malia again.

"Seena's magic is different. While yours heals the wounds, Seena's sooths the pain and heals them. Slower, but less painful."

"What happened to you?" the elf asked. Malia sighed and answered:

"The fire has been playing with me."

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 **A/N: So here it is! What has happened to Malia's arms? Why are they burnt? Stick around and find out in the next chapter!**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	6. Chapter 6: The Girl With The Bronze Hair

**Heyo guys.**

 **So, yea. I know that I was supposed to post this thing on Sunday, but I have one word for you: work. Work and stress have been killing me, not to mention the finals that I also have to study for. Aside of that, my boyfriend is being a total dick and I also have to put up with him! So go ahead, blame it on me. All you get is a 'fuck off and have a good day'. Thank you.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME:**

 **\- LadyDiamond92,I'm glad you liked it. Malia and Zander really are perfect together. Malia and Rogue... Two sides of the same person... I love her...**

 **\- eroticlad11, it is not wrong to say that ; there will be plenty of those. Thank you for your complimrnts... You're too kind.**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: The Girl With Bronze Hair**

* * *

 _It was a sunny day in Adeshia, and one woman was sitting on top of a building, legs crossed and arms placed over the legs, in a relaxing pose. She was trying to get her spirit calm again, but she was having a hard time accomplishing such. Her mind was too busy replaying the incident that happened moments ago, and that was keeping her from calming down. And she wanted to keep away from everything, in order to reorganize her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and pushed her head back._

 _"Rogue." A deep voice called. The woman looked back and saw no other than Diego, the leader of the Eagles._

 _"Diego."_

 _"Can I?" he asked, pointing to the empty floor on her side._

 _"Sure." She agreed , motioning the man to take a seat._

 _"What happened back there? Tell me…"_

 _"I don't know what you're talking about…" she whispered, lowering her head._

 _"Girl, in one moment, we were fighting those guys, and on the other, you were literally on fire and scorched those guys to the ground. Mind telling me what the fuck happened?"_

 _"Yeah, I do mind."_

 _"Rogue…" Diego warned._

 _"Look… Just like my name says. I'm a rogue. I didn't know I had these powers until I was twelve. After I found out, I concealed them. I found ways to keep that magic in me. Potions and herbs… After a while those stopped working. All I can do to stop these… Urges is to keep my heartbeat steady. Otherwise… They will just burst."_

 _"How do you have these powers? Who are your parents?"_

 _"I don't know, Diego. I really don't. And it's worrying me."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"Because when I hold my powers back…" she told him, lifting her sleeve to show him her burned arms "I burn myself."_

 _"You gotta control them." He told her._

 _"How?" she asked, looking up to him. He sighed and looked into her eyes, cupping her cheek and whispering "I don't know. But we'll find out. I promise."_

 _"Don't make promises you can't keep."_

 _"Rogue. I will find a way to save you. One way or another."_

Malia's eyes opened to face the ceiling of a room she didn't know. Sitting up in the bed, she rested her on her hands, sighing. It had been forever since she had had that dream. It was about the day she had told her secret. For the first time. Her secret about who she was, her secret about _what_ she was, and it was good. It was good to come clean, because he had helped her in everything. Every clue to her past, he was on it. Every hint about her identity, he had men searching for it.

But he had failed. Because he made a promise, and he couldn't keep it. He promised to find a way, he promised to fix her, he promised to teach her, but failed. She put her faith in him and he failed. He gave up trying, and she left. They had a major fight, what caused him to get the scar on his collarbone, and that was the reason why he always wore a shirt with a higher collar. She walked out on him when he told her there was nothing he could do about her. And she knew she had done the right choice.

"Rogue?" a soft voice called, knocking on her door "Can I come in?"

"Minnie… Of course." Malia whispered, straightening her hair. She watched the door open and then the little Lith ran inside the room, jumping on her bed and hugging the woman.

"Rogue…"

"You can call me Malia, Seena. That's my real name anyway." The woman smiled, caressing her hair.

"Malia… Zander says he wanted to see you. Talk to you."

"I know… What should I tell him?"

"The truth. It's better. And I is sure that it's better to tell everyone the truth."

"Okay then, Minnie. Tell them to come inside, will you? I think I own some explanations."

"Of course." The little girl nodded and ran out of the room.

She came back seconds later with Sky by the hand, the group following soon after. Letting go of the brunette's hand, Seena jumped to the bed and sat down, right next to Malia. Aida frowned but entered the room, sitting on the chair by the desk. Jace leaned onto the desk, next to Aida, Tillie sat on the small couch of the room, with Sky next to her, Airdan stood beside Tillie and Zander was leaning against the wall, on one of the corners of the room. Malia nodded and pulled down the sheets crossing her legs.

"Thank you for coming. I believe you are all confuse about my persona."

"Confuse is one way to put it." Jace said, crossing his arms.

"Well… I can give you answers. Not every single answer, but I can give you some."

"Why not all?" Tillie asked.

"Because not even I know them myself." She explained, letting out a small smile. Seena smiled up to her and laid down, resting her head on Malia's legs.

"Oh…" Sky let out "Go on."

"My name is Malia. I've always been just Malia. I never knew my parents, so I can't tell my last name or why I'm like this. I'm known by the names 'Thaga' or Rogue. They both mean the same. An outsider, someone that doesn't belong in any part of the society except with its equals. Other rogues. Other rejected by the society. It's hard to be like this. Not having a place to call home. Not belonging. I know that Aida is familiar with that sentiment."

"I am. What's your side?"

"While you are a rogue noble, Aida, I'm a rogue… Something. I think I'm a rogue moon elf, because honestly, I don't think that Dwarves can set things on fire with their mind. I found out that I had these… Powers when I was twelve. After that, it was all conceal, don't feel. I couldn't let anyone know about this. I had a hard time having people accept me before my powers. Imagine what they would feel when they found out I was a walking clock bomb."

"Who are your parents?" Airdan asked.

"I don't know." Malia answered, lowering her gaze to Seena's sleeping face "I don't remember much from my childhood. The clearest memories are the ones with Aida and a fire that I caused and killed the only family that was nice enough to take me in. There was only one survivor. And now, he's dead too. Alec. A Kaleik. Dead by Zander's father's hands."

"What exactly is your power?" Jace asked, uncrossing his arms.

"It's a kind of fire. It's not exactly fire, because it can't be put out by water, but it's fire at the same time. Different though."

"Show us." Tillie said.

Malia nodded and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. When she opened them, the raised her left hand and fisted it, before opening it fast and releasing a small flame. The flame was different, however. It wasn't the normal color of fire, like Zander's. Her fire took a soft color of blue. Artic and sapphire blue, sometimes mixed with a darker shade, burned in her hand. Malia eyed the group one by one, before closing her hand and extinguishing the fire.

"There. It's a beautiful sight though. It helps me find my way in the dark. But it burns me. My arms are all burned because of the fire. And it hurts."

"It burns you because you're scared of it." Zander said, speaking after remaining quiet since he entered her room "The fire doesn't have a mind of its' own, but it can sense when people fear it. You're blocking the sensations that the fire tries to transmit you. If I'm fighting someone that is afraid of the fire, I can feel that because the fire tells me. Your fire can sense your fear and it's attacking that source. You."

"And then what? What can I possibly do?" she asked, shrugging.

"Nothing alone. But I can help you."

"How?" Malia frowned.

"I'm gonna train you. I'm gonna teach you not to fear your fire. I'm gonna teach you how to control it. I'm gonna teach you how to use it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We're going to need three things. First, a big empty room, so that we can't hurt anyone. Second, solitude. She has to be able to do the next thing alone."

"What next thing?" Sky asked.

"This. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Aida, I need you to steal something for me."

"Name it!" the noble said, standing up with a smirk.

"A bottle of Colgominite."

.~.~.

"Do you really think Zander can help her?" Aida asked, hiding behind a marble column.

"If Skirts says he ca, than he means it. I believe in him." Jace said, siding her.

"I do too. I just never thought Malia was like that. I mean, I remember the whole 'the fire has playing with me' thing but I never thought that it would be this serious…." Aida sighed, walking past the big hall of Ildis Academy.

"I'm sure it wasn't with such intention." He told her, spotting the guard of the store house "Aida, him."

"The blue moonie?" she asked.

"The one with black skirt. Seriously, what is up with moon elves and skirts?"

"The same thing that is up with Tillie and potion. Unconditional love." The noble said, wrapping her fingers around the tiny silver key and pulling softly.

"It's… Unmanly." Jace murmured. Aida snickered and said "I happen to like Zander's skirt. It looks good on him."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, really." Aida said, nodding "Now do you mind shutting up and keeping guard? Or do you want to be caught?"

"Fine." Jace said, turning around while Aida placed the key on the large wooden door. She spun it around and opened the door slightly, before sneaking in and closing it behind herself. It wasn't long before Jace felt a pat on his back and saw Aida with three bottles on her hand.

"Aida!" Jace exclaimed "Skirts said one bottle!"

"I know what he said. And this one" she said, giving a dark green bottle to Jace "Is for Zander."

"And the tiny blue bottle?" he frowned. Aida smirked and declared "For Tillie. She told me she was needing a pinch of Dragon tears."

"And the other one?"

"This one…" Aida pointed to the dark bottle in her left hand "Is a really really really old ale that I found. I thought that everyone could use a little bit of relaxation."

"You are plain evil, woman." He told her, smirking and walking out of the Academy.

It took them ten minutes to get back to Airdan's house, with Aida demanding to stop at every view of guards patrolling the street. Jace didn't really see the necessity, since they weren't suspects and that the Academy didn't even know that they had been robbed, but he let her do her thing. If it kept her happy, then sure, he was up to anything. Once they got there, they saw Seena sleeping on Sky's lap, Zander cooking something, Airdan and Tillie wrapped around each other and Malia sitting on the balcony, glancing up to the clear sky.

"Hey guys!" Aida exclaimed, waving "We're back."

"Did you bring it?" Zander asked, looking in her direction.

"Of course I brought it, who do you think I am?" Aida asked, watching Jace walk to the elf and give him the bottle.

"What about the other two, Aida?" Sky asked.

"This tiny one is for Tillie." Aida gave it to the dwarf "And this one… You'll find out if Zander is successful in fixing and helping Malia."

"Aida, what's inside this?" Tillie asked, eyeing the noble curiously.

"Dragon tears, like you asked me. But that's just the name, right? Dragons aren't real."

"Of course they are not, sweetie…" Tillie smiled.

"I don't believe you, Tillie." Jace said. "Are dragons real?"

"Dragons are real for those who believe in them. And, seeing your faces, you don't believe. So, why would they be real?" she asked.

"Tillie, answer! Are dragons real?!" Aida shouted.

"Yes." Malia's voice echoed "But like Tillie said, they are only real for those who believe them."

"I don't understand…" Sky said.

"Dragons are products of nature, but made of magic. If you don't believe in the magic, you can't see it. Easy as that." Malia said.

"Have you ever seen one?" Jace asked.

"Yeah. Unfortunately."

"Why unfortunately?"

"Because meeting me was the cause of its death." Malia said, sighing and standing up "I lost control of my powers. Uncontrolled magic is the worst kind of threat you can ever face."

"Well, is everything goes well, this will be the last time that such will happen." Zander said, grabbing a glass and pouring some of the content in a glass, giving the latter one to Malia.

"I don't think I should drink this now. Won't I endanger everyone?" she asked, frowning at the glass.

"You're right." Airdan said, taking Tillie's hand and walking them through a big corridor.

They walked for a few minutes, secretly finding such escort exciting. It was the first time they were in that part of the house. They were going underground, that much they knew. Malia eyed Zander for a few seconds, but turned away when she saw that he gazed back at her. Airdan stopped walking and opened a door, allowing the two to enter. It was a large room, with a few pieces of old dusty furniture and lots and lots of dust and spider webs. Malia walked in and coughed a little, waving the air around her.

"This is the furthest away from my house I can get you. Above you is the Ildis Academy, so try not to burn a hole in the ceiling. This was an old classroom where my great-grandfather used to teach classes to the minorities, back when they couldn't enter the Academy. It was right under, so it got them inside the spirit and with the will to work on their magic without actually entering the school."

"Your great-grandfather sounds like a cool guy." Malia said.

"He was." Airdan nodded, before nodding to the two and closing the door behind himself, taking Tillie with him.

* * *

 **A/N: There it is! Let me know your thoughts on this.**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Blue Fire

**Hello, good afternoon (it's 7pm on this side).**

 **So, yeah, bring on the hate. Fuck it. I know this was supposed to come out on Sunday, but it didn't. What are you gonna do about that? Wanna know what went down? Fine. I got sick. I got laryngitis, I barely can speak, and I've been off work for almost a week now. Yeah, sure that give me more time, but who can post a chapter when you just can't stop coughing?!**

 **The next chapter will come out on this Sunday, without a doubt (not gonna promise cuz I don't know what tomorrow has for me) but, if everything goes well, it should come out Sunday. I repeat, THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL COME OUT ON SUNDAY. Thank you for those who've had hope and faith in me, and special thanks to my senpai, for supporting me.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thanks for being here for me, you really are the best. And I will shortly reply to your PM, lemme just post this. I'm glad you liked last chapter, you are the best, and trust me, there will be plenty of ZanderXMalia moments ;)**

 **\- eroticlad11, you were never a pain in the ass, sweetie... I'm glad I can turn you into the huge teddybear that you really are. How tall are you again? Remind me, please.**

 **In this chapter, we're gonna see the meaning of the mysterious words that Malia has been speaking 'the fire has been playing with me'! Read ahead to find out, and that is it for today,**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Blue Fire.**

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Malia looked around before sitting on an old desk, eyeing her surroundings. It was dark inside, and the only source of light appeared to be a small window and Zander's fire. She took a deep breath and stood up, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. Zander seemed to take notice of such, so he flashed her a smile and told her everything was going to be fine. She seemed to relax, at least in Zander's ears, but an unusual shade of red showed up in her cheeks. She stood up and took a few steps in the mage's direction, nodding.

"So, the first thing that we're going to do is teach you how to not fear your power, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay. What is it that you fear?" he asked, handling her the cup.

"I don't know. I'm not scared of many things." She said, scratching her head.

"Okay. Just remember. If you get very scared, keep in mind that it's only a dream."

"I'm not a frightened little girl, Zander." Malia smirked, grabbing the cup and drinking it all in one gulp. After a few seconds, she shrugged and said "I'm not feeling any diff-"

She opened her eyes and gasped. She was no longer in the room with Zander. She was in the middle of a deep dark forest, and not even the moon showed itself on the sky that night. The leaves rustled in the soft breeze, making the female shiver at the vision of fear that the forest showed her. She took a step forward, gasping when she stepped on a hole filled with mud. Laughing at her own silliness, she continued to walk forward, wondering why she was taking so short steps.

The cracks of the wood scared her and relaxed her at the same time. It was scary because anyone would feel that small shiver when in a dark forest with no possible light, but relaxed her because it reminded her of home; the dry leaves and pieces of bark laying around, crushing when her foot stepped on it. Out of the sudden, it started raining. Small drops of water fell on her skin, increasing with the passing time. Seconds later, it wasn't just soft drops. It was a heavy rain, drenching her to the bone. And then, a lightening stroke.

A scream escaped her mouth before she could stop it. Right in front of her, for less than a second, the scene was lightened up, showing her human figures that appeared to be walking in her direction. Without a second thought, the woman turned around and started running, trying to escape the figures. But the further she went, the closer the figures seemed to be. But she kept running. Running against the rain, running against the grain, trying to get away. She tripped a few times, getting her clothes and her hair all muddy, but she didn't care. She had to get away.

Eventually, she hid under a tree root and closed her eyes. She could almost hear the crushing of the dry leaves under their feet, the rustle of the bushes against their movement. And she kept her eyes closed. Her heart beat fast, faster than it ever beat, and she found herself admitting 'I'm scared'. It was a dangerous thought, but that at the same time kept her alive. It was no use to act proud right now. She needed all of her to survive. And she sat there, with her eyes closed and forehead against her knees, trying to keep warm.

"Damn it… Why did I had to agree with that stupid moon elf?" she asked herself, squeezing her legs tighter against her chest "I'm so cold."

It came to her mind that she could use her fire to warm herself, but she quickly discarded the thought. The last thing she needed was to burn the entire forest. And then again, that wouldn't be so bad. It could destroy the creatures out there looking for her. 'But it would burn you too, stupid' she though 'You don't wanna die, right?'. It was true. She didn't. But she wasn't seeing any way out. She saw herself as a brave person, but right now, even a child would be braver than her.

Because she had lied. She was scared of something. Something that she thought it was ridiculous, but that was truthful. She was afraid of the dark. Darkness for her was the most terrifying thing ever. If she wasn't alone, then it would be fine. But if she was… Then trouble rose. It was like an invisible hand suffocating her. It kept her from breathing, it kept her from moving, and it dragged her with it towards the darkness. Malia absolutely despised darkness. Taking a deep breath, she decided to open her eyes. But as soon as she did…

"AAAAHHH!"

Right in front of her, peeking from over the root she was hiding under, there was a figure. The lightening illuminated it in a way that clearly showed Malia that the shape was indeed human. Hiding herself again, she started to cry. It was no use. She was going to die. 'It's just a dream, it's just a dream' she chanted in her head, but it didn't work. She could feel the warm breath on her skin, and she was dying of fear. She was going to die. She was sure. But, in one final draw of courage, she decided that she wanted to see the face of the figure over her, ready to kill her. So, taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and lighted her hand on fire.

She gasped. Right in front of her, face inches away from hers, was a fairy. A pale skinned fairy. Her full bright green eyes glowed, with no white zone nor pupil. Her freckles danced on her pointy nose, and her long pointy ears twitched. Her long platinum blond hair was tied in a braided ponytail, reaching the back of her knees, and she was wearing a short pink dress, thigh high white socks and pink flats with cute white pompoms. Her small hand held a blue rose, and she handled it to Malia.

The female took it, amazed and stood up, looking around. Her fire was still burning, allowing her to see in the dark. And she saw. The figures that she once saw as frightening, now she viewed them as they really were. Two little baby centaurs peeking from the each side of a tree, a harpy peeking from the branches, eyeing Malia curiously with her hawk eyes, even a tiny troll snuck a peek under a rock. Malia got up and walked to the troll, patting his head. Flickering her fire off, she gasped, seeing the dark forest again, with the scary shadows, but once her hand was glowing again, she saw what the forest truly hid.

She laughed.

She laughed and walked around, smiling at the beauty that the darkness hid, spinning around with the light bathed pixies, humming with the birds and running with the animals. She jumped with the rabbits, singed with the sirens, moved with the wind. Flew with the jade dragons, rode with the deer, climbed with the minotaur, ran with the kitsunes, watched the clear skies with the harpies. And never, not even once, the fire in her hand was put out. And never, not even once, it hurt.

She opened her eyes to see a grey sky. She sat up on the ground and looked around. She no longer was on that magical forest that brought her heart so much joy. No. She was in what it appeared to be an abandoned village, houses falling apart, decomposing corpses lying around in the main street with no care. She sighed and lit her hand on fire, smiling when she saw the light blue flame caressing her fingers, and feeling no tingle of pain at all. She got up and tried remove the most amount of mud off her clothes, sighing when she realized that such was an impossible task.

"Where am I this time?" she asked herself, watching the corpse of a young girl decompose in front of her eyes, a worm popping up from her eye socket and sliding down to enter again through the nose. "Oh, that's nasty."

She heard the sounds of the vultures flying around, feeding themselves of a dangling corpse, crucified on a metal bar stringed onto a wooden bark, six feet above ground. Malia felt like throwing up, watching the corpse's belly ripped open and the intestines spurting all out. Looking away from the chocking sight, she walked down the muddy road, ignoring the rain that started to pour. She heard her footsteps echoing in the empty village and somehow that scared her. Not to the bone, like darkness, but enough to cause a chill.

"Why does it has to rain in every dream? Damn it!" she exclaimed, kicking a skull.

When she did that, a soft snap was heard. She turned around and saw nothing. Nothing was out of place, nothing moved. She looked down at her feet and she saw only mud, so it could not had been her making the snapping sound. Frowning, she picked up a rock and threw it into the shadows of one house. It made a clanging sound, like it had hit metal, and then nothing more. She was about to admit that she had imagined the sound when another snap was heard. And another. And another. And just like that, the skeletons that were lying around in the dirt started to rise and shape, their empty eye sockets gazing into Malia's eyes.

"Really? Zombies?" she asked out loud "I'm probably the least imaginative person in this world."

Rolling her eyes, Malia chuckled. But soon enough she was letting out an indignant sound when one of the skeletons threw the rock back at her. When the skeletons started to close in on her, Malia started running away. But the more she ran, the more the skeletons advanced towards her. And once again she found herself chanting 'It's just a dream, it's just a dream'. But such didn't allow her to wake up and get away from the undead people that chased her.

"You're dead! How come you're walking?! And if you say Necromancy, I'ma burn you to the ground!" she exclaimed "Wait… That is actually a good idea."

She climbed up the large stairs of a big mansion and entered the main hall, closing the rotting wooden door behind her. She stopped running and lit her hand on fire, hearing the rough sound of bone crashing against the wood. She gulped. She had to be able to do this. It was her only chance. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, allowing her mind to relax and to focus on her gold: to get this to work. Opening her mouth, she spoke, softly:

"I need your help. I know I'm not the best at controlling you, but right now, I need your help. I'm not afraid of you anymore, but I know that I can't control you yet. Can you help me? Help me get rid of all these zombies. Teach me how to control you." Taking a small break, she said "Great. Now I'm talking to the fire. I've officially gone mad! This is just great!"

The door broke down and the skeletons rushed in, tripping in their own pieces of decadent flesh. Malia almost threw up at the loathsome sight, but kept herself and her gut strong. The corpses started surrounding her, closing in her exits until there were no more. Malia felt herself getting sick to the core, the foul smell making her stomach do back flips. The view of the dark putrid flesh made her sick, and the worms coming out of their holes were repulsive. Malia took a deep breath and closed her eyes, ready to face her fate.

But instead of cold she felt warm. She felt warmth spreading through her body, from her heart to her fingertips, to her toes, to the tips of her bronze hairs. And she felt herself rising from the kneeled position that she was. She opened her eyes to see the corpses of the walking undead burning with her fire. She could feel its power running through her veins, spreading the heat. She thought about increasing the size of the flame and it did. The flame grew, involving the ones that were further back. She thought about decreasing it, and the flame obeyed. And, with a smirk, she said:

"Let's blow this thing up."

She woke up lying of a dirty floor. Dusty, but not muddy. She was inside of a house. A really old and big house. She opened her eyes and gazed at the crystal candelabrum above her, covered with spider webs. Malia sighed. Another dream. Great. She was sure that no candelabrum was in the room she and Zander stood. Steps started to be heard, and Malia stood up with a jump. But she saw nothing. So, she lit her hand on fire and threw a punch at the candelabrum, making a small flame shoot from her fist and hit the object, erupting it in blue flames.

"Yes, it works!" she exclaimed "I love you, fire."

"GET HER‼" a female voice shouted, and multiple screams were heard next, making Malia jump.

A dozen of people ran to her, all of them with weapons on their hands, ready to kill her. Malia did nothing, finding nothing wrong with the people, until she gazed into their eyes. Full black eyes, like they were possessed by demons. Malia stretched her arm and launched a flame, forming a line and hitting the ones in the front line. She started to take them down, but one scream tore her out of her dead path. Looking at the direction of the scream, she saw a man, eyes wide open, begging her not to kill him.

"Wait… You're… You're not possessed." She realized, shouting into the air "Are you serious?! You expect me to look into their eyes to know which ones do I have to kill?"

Grabbing the throat of a man that had pushed a dagger down her shoulder, she watched him erupt in flames before her eyes. Grabbing the dagger and pulling it out, she slid open the stomach of another possessed, before throwing the dagger at another man's neck. Malia found a non-possessed one between the others and pulled her behind herself, kicking one in the stomach. The woman thanked her and, once Malia opened a path for her, creating another line of fire, she ran away, screaming a thank you.

"What the hell am I supposed to do? Just kill you all?" she asked, frowning. And then, out of the blue, she heard a child scream.

"A kid?" she asked out loud. "Lemme guess… Protect him."

And she was right. Opening path towards the end of the room, the young woman saw a child guarded by three bulky males, all armed from head to toe. Growling, Malia threw herself at them, kicking and punching until one of them was on the ground. Turning to the other two, she smirked and lit her arms on fire, sighing when she felt a comfortable warmth and not a burning heat. Opening her mouth, she declared:

"You know… Iron melts easily."

And putting her hands on their helmets, she watched them scream in agony while the iron melted against their skins, killing them painfully. Eyeing them when they were on the floor and shaking the melted iron off her hands, she smiled and took a knee in front of the little boy. Giving him a hand for him to take, Malia assured him that nothing would go wrong, that she wouldn't hurt him and that he could trust her. "I'll protect you." She said. And the second their skins touched…

Malia opened her eyes. She was back in Airdan's house. She was lying on the couch. Frowning and sitting up, she saw no one. She tried calling out for anyone, but her voice wouldn't leave her lips. 'Great' the blue eyed girl thought 'I have no voice.' Standing up, she heard the door open and she saw Seena walking in. The second their eyes crossed, the Lith frowned and rolled her blue eyes. Malia was about to ask what happened when she spoke:

"You're still here? I thought you had already left. I means, you do know that no one likes you, right? I means… You're weird. Uncontrollable. Dangerous. Do you still believe that there is still someone that wants you here? I means… No. That's impossible. I can't believe that I wasted Seena's beautiful healing power on you. Maybe I should remove the soothing spell from the incantation and let you suffer what you deserve."

'Seena… No. This isn't Seena. Seena is a nice girl, she would never say this kind of thing to someone…' Malia thought, gasping. And as soon as those words were completed, Seena grew and darkened, turning into Diego.

"Oh. Rogue. Thaga. Malia. What should I call you? I mean, you had more names than a character. Are you unsure about whom you're trying to be? Thaga, the helper? The smooth talker, that seduced children into walking down her path of darkness and thievery?"

'No! They chose where they stood! I never forced them into anything!' Malia tried, but failed. Diego only chuckled and continued:

"Or perhaps Rogue? The cold ass bitch, that didn't care about anyone? The minx, that brought legions of men on their knees with a simple look? The powerful, rebel, outstanding Rogue? The woman that, more than once, I shared my quarters with?"

'Shut up! It was just one time and we were both drunk out of our minds!' Malia gulped 'You promised to never talk about that!'

"Or Malia? The simple, coward Malia? The little girl that I found roaming through the deserts, with half of an arrow on her back, the little girl that I brought home and took care of, the little girl that fell in love with me?"

'I am not in love with you! I care for you! I was just a kid, I didn't know what love was!' the young woman shouted mentally, cringing at the sound of his words. But he didn't speak more. His body started to reshape once more, and Aida smirked at her.

"Hey, twin! That's what you want me to call you, right? Well, you see, I don't think you deserve such title. I mean… Being a rogue is something really unique and you spent your entire life hiding from it!"

'I just wanted to fit in…' Malia murmured.

"You don't deserve to be called a rogue. Potions? Herbs? Medicine? Risky and new interventions? Are you kidding me? Those people are called cowards, not rogues. I never cared that I was different. People like me for being different. But you? You try to melt into someone else, you try to become something that you're not. They're afraid of you? Let them be. Lose control. Kill a couple of thousand. It isn't something I've never done before."

'But… I don't wanna hurt anyone…' the bronze haired girl closed her eyes, opening them when she saw the figure twitching once more. And, short seconds later, the one standing in front of her…

Was Zander.

'Please no.' she begged.

"No? No to what? No to you being an embarrassment for the entire race of mages? No to you being a disgrace for the ones trying hard to reach their academic states in the righteous way? No to you using others for your own benefit? No to you being a liar? Claiming that you don't remember when you have all the answers you need to move on."

'I don't have all the answers I need to move on' Malia assured 'I don't know who I am. I don't know how my parents are. I don't even know my last name! Please stop, Zander.'

"Stop? I'm just getting started! You're a shame for us! Calling yourself a mage. That's just ridiculous. A real mage is powerful. A real mage has presence. A real mage has the strength of spirit to overcome the obstacles in front of him. You? You have to ask for help. To your fire, nevertheless. Can't control your powers? Tche. Pathetic. I've never known anyone like you before. And right now, I'm sorry that I met you."

'Zander…' Malia whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

And she opened her eyes. She was kneeling on a dusty floor, her eyes wide open and wet with tears. Those same ones fell on the ground, creating perfect wet circles, more and more constant. Her hair covered her face, working like a curtain. She felt her fire waving around her, the young woman being right in the middle of the flame. The blue blazes graced her skin, caressed it even, but Malia found no comfort in their touch. Only in…

"Malia? Are you okay?"

The bronze haired female looked up to see Zander looking down to her, concern written all over his face. A good look into his baby blue eyes was enough for Malia to jump and wrap her arms around his neck, shedding all the tears behind her closed eyes. Zander supported his hands on each side of her hips, but when he felt the girl tremble under his hands, he wrapped his arms around her, sighing when he felt her tighten her hold in him. They stood like that for a couple of minutes, Malia calming down little by little. She stood on the tip of her toes, totally leaning onto Zander while the male bowed a little, trying to compensate their height differences. When she finally pulled away, she declared:

"Don't you ever do that to me. Don't you ever break my heart like that…"

"Malia… Your eyes…

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 **A/N: There you have it, folks! Let me know your thoughts on the comments below. I hope you had a good time and lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	8. Chapter 8: Skyego

**Good evening!**

 **So, let's not talk about the little time lapse that we went through about the chapters. Okay?**

 **So, how was your day? I hope it was good because I feel like mine was good. And I want to share my little piece of happiness with you. :D**

 **So, I really appreciate the reviews that you guys have been dropping (shout out to eroticlad11 and LadyDiamond92) I really enjoy your support, and I love you guys but you already know that ;)**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- eroticlad11, thank you senpai! You are the best! I'm really glad you liked it! Let's see if you like this one*wink wink***

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thank you for taking the time to review even though you're that tired, and I really appreciate that, even though sometimes I may not show it. It's true, they are not that much of friends, but their friendship will grow. And me has to shut up now because I'm almost giving out spoilers!**

 **That should do it. I love you both, really, and all of the people reading this story!**

 **With nothing more to say,**

 **ON THE FIC!**

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 **Chapter 8: Skyego**

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"What do you think it's happening in there?" Aida asked, looking up to Jace.

"I don't know…" he said, continuing to sharpen his sword. He eyed her for a second before grinning and looking back to his sword. Aida frowned and called out:

"Hey! What was that all about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, woman." Jace responded, his grin only widening.

"Don't play me like a fool, Jace! Tell me!" she demanded. When he didn't answer, Aida growled and took the sword from his hands and dropping it on the floor. Placing a knee between his legs, Aida took one of her daggers and put it against his neck, frowning and demanded "Tell me."

"Whoa, there, princess, don't you think we are going too fast?" He smirked, winking "Not that I mind the binding fantasy, but don't you think that you should ask me out first?"

"JACE!" Aida shouted, but the knight grabbed her wrist and turned her around, in a way that her back was against his chest and her arms were trapped under his hold.

"Where are you going now, Gorgeous?"

"Jace..."

"You wanna know what I want?" He whispered at her ear "You, Aida. I want you. Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to not take you right here right now, when you look like that?"

"Look like... this?"

"When your eyes shine with demeanor. When they sparkle with your anger. When your smirk is obscured, but your witty is there. When you look this sexy that not even a priest can resist you."

"Jace..." Aida tried, but her words failed. Jace took her chin between his fingers and brought her closer.

"Do you know how hard this is for me, woman?" he huskily said, his face inches away from hers.

But before he could close the gap between them…

"Malia‼" Seena shouted, watching the girl appear in the living room, behind Zander. The little Ileth ran to the girl and hugged her legs, before being picked up by Zander and taken away from the girl.

"Let her get used to the reality, Seena. She was out in the hallucinations for a while. More than I even thought possible for a first timer."

"What is wrong with Rogue?" Seena asked, frowning.

"Nothing, Seena. She's just… Getting used to the reality. Like when you wake up from a bad dream. You need some time alone, right?"

"Yes… I understands." Seena smiled, and ran to Tillie.

"Hey, you." Sky smiled, placing her hand on the bronze haired girl "Are you okay?"

"Getting there. Thanks, Sky."

"Of course." The brunette smiled "I just baked some cookies. Want some?"

"What is the flavor?"

"Cinnamon with cream on top." Sky said. Malia smiled softly and whispered "My favorite…"

"I'm glad. Come on." Sky took her hand and walked her to the kitchen, coming back with the girl with her hands full with cinnamon cookies. She ate them with glad and joy, and even Seena joined in the feast. After all the cookies were eaten, Malia looked up to Sky and said:

"Thanks."

But the girl only gasped.

Because, right in front of her, instead of their usual shade of dark color, Malia's eyes were the lightest blue she had ever seen. Their shade was lighter than arctic blue, if that was even possible. Sky stared at the girl's eyes with her mouth open, not being able to profess a word. The girl chuckled and closed her eyes, before looking down at her empty hands. "Right… I forgot about that."

"What happened to your eyes?" Sky asked.

"The disguise potion happened. It wore out and the fire helped burning the remains of barrier left in them."

"What do you mean?" Tillie asked "What's wrong with her eyes?"

"They changed color! Now they're baby blue. I don't understand…" Sky said.

"That's your real eye color?" Tillie asked, looking into her eyes. "Yeah…" Malia confirmed "Kinda creepy, huh?"

"They're beautiful." Zander said, looking at the girl. Malia blushed and whispered a 'thanks'.

The new found commotion began around Malia's eyes, but eventually moved on from that. Sure, Aida still stared into her eyes for two full minutes, and Seena jumped around and sang about how beautiful they were, but the usual happiness was back in its place. Tillie and Malia sat on the sofa talking to each other like two of the oldest friends ever, and Seena was with Zander, the mage wanting to see how far her magic abilities took her. Aida and Sky were chatting happily and Airdan was helping Jace sharpening his sword.

But then, the main door opened. And there stood Diego.

"Rogue." He called out, completely caught by surprise. Malia sighed and stood up, saying:

"Hi, Diego."

"What are you doing here? I mean, you shouldn't right? You should be… Somewhere else. Not here." He tried.

"Diego." She called again, stepping closer to him "Take a deep breath. Close your eyes and calm down. And know that what happened between you and I is past. This? Is now. And you are with Sky. So move on. Okay?"

"What do you mean?" Sky asked "What happened?"

"Like I told you before, Sky, me and Diego are comrades. Nothing more." Malia told her.

"But you make it sound like there's something more. Something you're not telling." Sky started, walking to the two.

"I believe that I will let Diego be the one telling you that story. Okay?" the bronze haired girl said, patting her shoulder before turning to the archer and saying "Diego. Tell her everything. Leave nothing out. Okay?"

"But…"

"Diego. For the sake of both of you, tell her. We'll talk later."

.~.~.

"Care to tell me what the hell is going on?" Sky asked, crossing her arms. Diego closed the door behind himself and leaned against it, closing his eyes.

Sky was sitting on her bed, inside the room Airdan spared for her. After Malia had finished speaking, she had picked Seena up and walked out of the house, with Zander behind the two. When the door closed behind the three, every pair of eyes went to Diego and Sky, and the Adeshian male wasted no time in taking Sky's hand and dragging her upstairs, to her room. Once they were secured behind the closed door, Sky found the first thing she had to lean on, which happened to be the bed.

"I'm trying to find a way to begin. Can you let me?" he asked.

"Are you two lovers?" she asked. Diego's eyes immediately opened and he exclaimed "No! Of course not!"

"Well, there's a good way to start it." She said, looking down to her hands. Diego sighed and started:

"I met her when I was around twenty years old. I was riding back to Adeshia in my horse when I saw this young girl dragging herself through the sands with half an arrow pierced in her back. I felt sorry for her and I brought her back to the Silk, where I had Catalina stitch her up. When she woke up, she retracted herself from me. A few days later, she was back. And she seemed completely fine. She was a good girl, and a good fighter, so I allowed her to stay in my house and train her. She grew up with me and she was there by my side when I took over the Eagles."

"Oh…" Sky let out.

"She became a strong woman, and we were close. We fought well together. Aside of Evanna, she was the person I trusted the most. And people saw that and stayed out of our way."

"What else?" Sky asked.

"Sky, please."

"Tell me. I'm a big girl, I can handle it." She told him, crossing her arms.

"One time, a little girl comes to our help. And Rogue always had a soft spot for children, so we go. It was a man that had been terrorizing families. We go in and we take him down. During the fight, he says things… To Rogue. Things like, 'I know what you are' and 'I could help you find more about you'. But she ignores and she goes for the killing. And he curses her. He says 'You will never find out who you are, child, not while my spirit walks among these lands and I can haunt you for eternity'. I kill him. And we go back. We go to the bar, but Rogue is sulking. And once she had a few drinks down her throat, she asks me if I thought that man was right. I tell her no. Not while I was around. And we were drunk and she was miserable, so… It happened."

"Oh, by the old Kings…" Sky sucked in a breath, tears flooding her eyes. But Diego doesn't see them.

"It was just one night. And we both agree to never talk about that. But, it brought us together. And that one night mistake ended up repeating itself. Several times. And then, we had a fight, a major fight, and she left."

"So you two are lovers…" Sky whispered. Diego, not missing the cracking of her voice, looked up to find her crying. Standing up and walking to her, he declared:

"No. We are not lovers. It happened, and I can't change that. We are comrades, and we…"

"Comrades don't fuck with each other, Diego‼" Sky shouted, pushing him away "How am I supposed to look at her now?! Knowing that you two have that… History‼ Knowing that it could repeat itself all over again!"

"It's not gonna happen again! I can guarantee you!"

"How?!" she shouted "How can you be sure that you won't fall for her façade once more?! Even now, you were desperate to see her here!"

"I wasn't expecting her to be here! She caught me off guard! That's all! I'm not going to fall for the same mistake again. I can promise you that."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Sky told him, turning away from him. Diego sighed and said "You can put your hand on the fire for this. I am not breaking this promise. Believe me."

"Diego… Go away."

"No. Tell me you believe me."

"I don't believe you. Go away." She told him, hugging herself.

"Please…" he gulped, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"No. There's nothing that assures me that you won't fall again. She's a beautiful woman, Diego, you and I both know that. And you can be sure that I refuse to let myself believe that promise of yours."

"For fuck's sake…" he growled "Do you actually believe that I have feelings for her?! If I had, you would have taken notice of them, sooner, Sky! You're not that stupid! And besides, have you seen the way she looks at Zander!? She's head over heels for him, she just doesn't know it yet!"

"What makes you think that I can believe that you are over her?! That you don't love her?!" she shouted, turning to him, tears running down her face.

"Because I'm in love with YOU!" he revealed, staring into her eyes.

Time ceased to pass around them. Sky stared at him with wide eyes, not believing her ears. The man that slaughtered her entire family, the people she trusted the most, the man that she was supposed to hate, was in love with her? The man that treated coldly, saw her as nothing but a crying innocent girl specialized in Enchanted Arts, was admitting that he loved her? Like, actual love? The kind of love that was wrong, but she reciprocated? Every thought flew around her head, confusing her, but they all ceased when he kissed her.

His hand grasped the back of her head and pulled her to him. His lips were over hers in no time, not giving her a chance to say something against his declaration. His other hand went to grasp her hip and he kissed her deeper, trying to make her understand that he meant it. Something snapped in Sky's head and she began to kiss him back. Her hands rested on his chest, feeling their hearts beating in unison. Sighing when he felt her kissing back, Diego grasped her right thigh and pulled in around his waist, before picking her up and dropping her on the bed.

"Diego…" she whispered against his lips.

"Ssh…" he said, looking into her eyes "I'm gonna show you that there are no feelings between me and Rogue."

* * *

 **A/N: There you have, people! let me know your thoughts in the reviews, just hit that little 'Review' button and let out what is on your soul!**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	9. Chapter 9: You're My Sunshine

**Hi there!**

 **So yeah, sure I haven't posted in like 5 weeks or so, but work has left me no time. And I have this huge list of movies to see and I just can't. I'm sorry for this, but I can't help it. Really. I hope you can forgive me. That being said...**

 **Hi! So, I was scrolling down my emails when I found this special support that came from a special someone named iiKawaiiKat. Thank you for supporting, sweetie, it means a lot to me. And, seeing that 'spam' that you pulled (don't get me wrong, I loved it) I'm posting this chapter today! Heads up tho, it's kinda short.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thank you for those words, I believe so too!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, I'm glad you liked it, thanks a lot.**

 **\- iiKawaiiKat, thank you for your sweet words, you are the best. And btw, I LOVED the ship name. Zalia. It's staying ;) Hope you enjoy this one as well. And I don't mind you repeating yourself...**

 **With nothing more to say...**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: You're My Shunshine.**

* * *

Malia walked with Seena on her arms, the little girl resting her head on her shoulder, sleeping peacefully. It was a week full of emotions, and with her constant use of her Ileth magic, Seena had been extremely tired. Zander walked beside the two, mesmerized with the caring and the softness of the way Malia treated Seena. Like a mother to her child. He found that extremely admirable, because she knew how to act on instinct, seeing that she had none of such on her own childhood. Zander offered to carry Seena, but Malia refused. It was because of her that Seena was this tired.

"I like to be like this around Seena." She explained "It brings some normalcy into my life."

"Why normalcy?" Zander asked, sitting down on a bench in the park.

"Because Seena was and still is one of the few things that I can take for granted. Not that I want to, but I feel like it."

"It's not bad to take some things granted. Especially Seena. I know what it feels like." He told her, watching her sit down next to him. "Malia?"

"Yeah?"

"What's up between you and Diego?"

"Long story short, me and Diego used to be lovers back there. Not that we had any romantic feelings towards each other, because we didn't, but it was a comfort that we sought within each other. And that ended. With no hard feelings." She explained, caressing Seena's hair.

"And you have no romantic feelings for him now?" he asked, looking down to his hands.

"No. Never had, never will. And besides, it would be very hard for me to even try and reconnect with him in that way, not that I want to because I don't, but because you and I both know that he can't take his eyes off Sky."

"True." He agreed. "So, how do you feel? About the whole hallucination thing?"

"Better. I can now say what's real and what's not. And I can control it now. And it doesn't hurt me anymore. I did found out one thing about me while I was out, though."

"What is that?"

"I'm the least imaginative person in the world. Of all the scary shit there is out there, I had to choose zombies!" she exclaimed. Zander started laughing, his eyes closed. Malia soon joined him, and their joyful sounds echoed in the air. Seena opened her eyes to find Malia's smiling face and Zander's smirk and let out a smile of her own, giggling and closing her eyes once more.

"That's good, actually..." Zander said "Not being able to imagine something else gives you the comfort that, while you are under the effects of the potions, your range of imagination is the limit of hallucinations. If your limit isn't that high, the hallucinations won't be that scary."

"Good to know that my lack of imagination is what keeps me from dying of fear in my hallucinations."

"It can be seen as a good and bad thing, though..." Zander let out, crossing his arms over his chest "It keeps you from dying out of fear, but it also blocks your mind from exploring new worlds..."

"I've always been someone attached to reality, Zander... Mainly because I knew that I would get lost in the fantasies. And I didn't have a normal childhood. I matured way too early and my imaginative side never developed..."

"I see..." He let out, eyeing her. Her soft smile made him blush and the motherly warm look that she casted towards the sleeping Ileth was more than enough to make his blood beg for her.

"Hey, Malia?" Zander called, not taking his eyes off her.

"Yeah?"

"I think that we, I mean you should train. To have better control of your powers and such…"

"I think you're right." She agreed, caressing Seena's hair.

.~.~.

Sky groaned, not used to the feeling of waking up in the middle of the afternoon, with the warmth of the air involving her. She also felt sore, she wondered why was that. But the soreness was mainly on the lower regions, like her legs and her waist. Frowning, she opened her eyes to see nothing but skin. Butt-naked skin, and that was all. She tried to raise herself to a more sat-up position, but she found out that she couldn't. Her waist is being held down by an iron grip, and she found hard to move. So, she raised her upper torso to see what was holding her down. And she gasped.

Laying under her was no other than Diego, sleeping peacefully. She smiled at his calm expression before remembering she was completely naked. She tried to move again, but he refused to bulge, since he was the one holding her down. Pulling the covers up to her chest, she laid down once more on his chest, remembering the events of the hours before. She blushed at the memory of the sounds that came out of her mouth, and shrieked, hiding her face. The memories were pleasant, so pleasant, but they were embarrassing.

"Up already?" a raw voice asked.

"Diego!" Sky exclaimed, blushing harder "Did I wake you up?"

"No, doll, I was waking up. It was time, anyway." He answered, and placed an arm behind his head, his other not losing his grip on her.

"Think you can let me go now? I was thinking about moving…" she requested, but he only shook his head and said "No. You're not going anywhere."

"Diego‼ Aida can grow worried, you know? So stop!"

"Aida isn't worried about you. You're the last thing in her mind, actually."

"How do you know?"

"She and Jace went out for a drink while you and I were having some fun."

"Don't call it that!" she shrieked "It was a special moment! At least for me… Was it for you?"

"I've been wanting to do this since forever, babe."

Sky blushed at the nickname, and pushed herself on her elbows, studying his face. His jade green eyes, gazing back into hers, that sharp angular nose, those cheekbones that had her melting down since day one, his sharp jaw, those plump lips that she had ravished just moments ago… He was studying her too, but Sky knew that his object of study was a little… below her face. Rolling her eyes, she fixed the sheet that was starting to show one breast to the male under her.

"Don't stare. It makes me feel uncomfortable…"

"Uncomfortable?" he asked, pulling her on top of him, so that their bodies were perfectly aligned, and Sky was straddling his lap "You sure didn't seem uncomfortable when I was stripping you with my eyes a couple of hours ago…"

"Shut up…" she said, looking away. But a question popped up in her head and she asked, shyly "Diego…? How was it?"

"What? The sex?"

"DIEGO‼"

"Fine, okay. I'll stop being so straight forward." He chuckled, cupping her cheek "Our love session? Why do you ask?"

"It's just that… You had… sexual partners before, and I'm betting that those same partners were way more experienced than me… I'm just asking… For a first timer, was I good?"

"For a first timer? Hum, let me see…" he teased "Well, forgive my bluntness, but you were able to get me hard with one kiss, made me a hickey that surely won't come out until the end of the next week, teased me like a fucker, sucked me like an expert… I'd say that, for a first timer, you were pretty awesome."

"Really?" she asked "What about the sounds? I mean…"

"The sounds coming out of your mouth were the sexiest I've ever heard, Sky." Diego told her, smirking.

"Oh…" she let out, blushing. Opening her mouth to let out another question, Sky only managed to let out a moan "Aaah"

"What's wrong, Sky? Cat got your tongue?" he asked, and she knew he was guilty. Hell, his hand was under her cover and squeezing her breast.

"Diego…" she started, but smirked when she felt a poking "Are you hard again?"

"Yeah, I am." He told her, yearning a yelp from the girl when he flipped them around.

"What are you doing?" she asked, watching him go down on her.

"Sky, I've been pining after you for longer than I can remember. Forgive me if I wanna act on some of my fantasies with you."

The last coherent thing she said that day was his name.

* * *

 **A/N: I told you it was short. But juicy, right? Anyway, my lunchtime is over, so gotta go! Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	10. Chapter 10: Burning Up

**Hey people! How's it going?**

 **I can only hope that everything is great on your end of the world and if it's not, then baby, it's gonna get better.**

 **I am super happy because of what I read in the reviews. You guys are awesome. And I will soon answer to you. So, the exams are over, and my life will soon begin. I hope. If it hasn't begun already in these past few years. It's a big step that I'm about to take, and I couldn't ask for better support than the one my closest friends have been giving me. Really. Some are here, others just outside the door, but hey, everyone is important. Even if they don't feel so.**

 **Why am I moping around? I'm weird... Anyway, REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thank you for stopping by ad reading the chapter, I hope your date was fun. I really like Malia too, and Zander and her are really a perfect ship. Love you, and read ahead!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, thank you for your kind words! You are the best, and thank you for understanding the reason why it was short. :)**

 **\- nobody, don't say you're a nobody, because you're not. You're a special person, and I bet you're the greatest. :) I really love Skyego as well, and here is the next chapter! Read ahead :)**

 **\- Raven, I really love your name. Like. It's awesome. :D And yes, I will write more Skyego, without a doubt. If not for the whole chapter about them, small hints all around the story will pop up. I promise you that. And did you really read the last 2 chapters 4 times? Why? I wanna know! Leave the answer in the reviews, I can't wait!**

 **That is it for today's Review Answer Time, next chapter there will be another one, so make sure to review to have your questions answered! Lots of love and...**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Burning Up.**

* * *

"I think you're overreacting, Aida." Jace said, gulping.

"How can I be overreacting?!" the noble asked, punching the table "It's clear as water, Jace!"

"You don't know that!" he exclaimed. The white haired woman gave him a look and he sighed, saying "Fine, maybe you know. Maybe everyone does. But that doesn't give you the right to mind in her business, Aida!"

"Yes it does! She's is my best friend! My sister! I have every right to mess in this."

"No, you don't!" Jace told her "Look, I know you care for her. Everyone does. But she's her own woman, Aida. She can make her own decisions. She is a proud and trustworthy woman, and she knows her own decisions. You can't step on this. I know you love her, but you gotta give her space! Just like she trusts you, you have to trust her. She's a grown woman, Aida. Let her take care of her own decisions. And I'm tired of having this discussion with you. Seriously, we talked about this way too many times already."

"But I'm only trying to fight for her best!" Aida declared, throating down another shot.

"I know that, shawty. But you have to let her go." He told her, drinking another sip of his ale "You have to let her go through with her life."

"I don't want her to suffer, Jace…" Aida whispered, resting her forehead on the table.

"You can't stop anyone from suffering." He told her, smiling "What are you gonna do, lock her in a cage for the rest of her life?"

"That's an idea."

"No, it isn't. I know it hurts seeing her fall deeper in love with the man that killed her father, but she can't help it. Really. Love is a weird thing. I mean… Look at Skirts and Malia. She tried to kill him the moment she saw him, and he's falling for her. Bad, I might add. Are you gonna step in between those two as well? Look at us, Aida. You took me down to the floor the first time we saw each other. We fought against each other, aiming at the throat. Are you gonna break us apart too?"

"No. That's different."

"No, it isn't. It's exactly the same thing, Aida. Exactly the same. I get it, Sky is different. But the situation is the same. And what are you gonna do? Are you gonna go to Malia's throat? Are you gonna kill her? Are you gonna forbid Skirts from seeing her? He'd scorch you down to the floor, woman. Please. Don't do this. Stop."

"I care for her, Jace. I really do."

"I know you do. And that is why you can't do a thing."

"What if he hurts her?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

"Then, and _only_ then, you have permission to break every single bone in his body. Okay?"

"Fine…" she accepted, showing the blond a small smile. "I think I'm drunk. Can we go back?"

"Yes, we can. I'm not feeling top kicking awesome either." He said, standing up "We should go check on Skirts and Malia before. Don't you think?"

"Yeah… That's probably a good idea." She agreed, leaving the tavern.

 **.~.~.**

"C'mon, Zander!" Malia smirked, standing up straight "That can't be all you have!"

"And it isn't!" he smirked, engulfing his hands on fire "But I am taking easy on you."

"Then don't!" the bronze haired girl exclaimed, throwing a fireball at him "You don't want me to rip you in half, now do you?"

"Fine." And he launched himself at her.

Malia took the hit and was slammed against the wall, but she quickly created a blast pulse and sent him across the room. Smirking, the young woman threw another fire ball at him, but the moon elf dodged easily. Red and blue fire flew across the room, destroying the few pieces of dusty and old furniture that remained on their way. Throwing a punch, Zander blocked and fought back, slamming her against the wall once more.

"You really like having me against the wall, don't you?"

"What can I say, you look sexy when you're trapped." He smirked "Ready to give up?"

"In your dreams, flame head." Malia bit, kicking him away.

He had to say. One thing was using their powers to fight. Another was close combat. And close combat with Malia was powerful. The way she moved, so gracious. The way she attacked, so fierce. And the way she always seemed to escape his grasp, so sneaky. He was fighting an Eagle and a noble all in one person alone. The power of a noble and their technique, with the will and passion of an Eagle. He had never fought someone as powerful.

"Sure you don't wanna give up?" he asked, even though he was breathing hard.

"I'm sure, love." She teased, winking "You sure?"

"I'm sure." He said, and jabbed her in the stomach.

Malia groaned, but quickly got her vengeance, kicking him on the back of the knees and punched his jaw. Kneeling, Zander swept her legs, but the female made a backflip and landed safely on her feet. And, when the moon elf finally stood up, Malia kicked him on the chest, before grabbing her whip and wrapping it around his ankle, pulling hard and making him fall on his back. With a soft pull, she rolled it up again and sat on his lower torso, placing the whip on her hip again, and taking her dagger, pushing it against his throat, declaring:

"I win."

But Zander only stared up to her. Her glowing eyes, her parted lips, her heavy breathing. The way her hair stuck to her face, sweaty and flustered over the effort. Her trembling hands, one holding the dagger against his throat and the other over his sternum, pressing him down. Even her luscious legs, on each side of his body. His breath was becoming more erratic and, with a dazed mind, he grabbed her wrists and twisted them around.

The girl yelped, but her sound was quickly cut off by the intensity of Zander's gaze. The dagger was thrown away when he flipped them around, but the last thing on Malia's mind was retrieving it. His hands were on each side of her face, and his legs pining hers down. His heat was involving her completely, their heartbeats mixing together. The strength in her body left her; she was lost in his gaze, so powerful and so unique. He was all over her, literally, and Malia seemed to be one pressing him to stay.

His lips caught hers without a second blink. A wave of power crossed them, obliterating any coherent thought of struggle against the kiss. Malia's hands immediately went around Zander's neck and pulled him down, kissing him deeper. The woman whimpered when the moon elf slid a hand down her body to grab her thigh, and pulled it around his waist, pressing himself further against the woman. Nothing could stop the moan coming from her lips, as Zander continued to plant kisses down her neck.

"Z-Zander…"

But the moon elf said nothing. He just continued to listen to the cute sounds that came out of her mouth, and moving along with them. After a rather loud groan from the girl, Zander parted, and looked into her eyes. Glassy icy blue eyes, watching him with passion. His hand continued to hold her leg, and Malia took the moment to cup his cheek and smile softly, before pressing another kiss against his lips. He sucked in a breath, but kissed her back, lacking the lust-driven movements that drove them just a few moments ago.

"Malia…" he whispered against her lips.

It wasn't long before the scene warmed up again. Their bodies were pressing, their lips moving, hands exploring, tongues battling. There was a shuffle sound, and Zander found himself losing his shirt to Malia's hands. The very fact that he knew she had done this to another man set his blood boiling, but he couldn't blame her. She didn't know him back there. And he knew that, right now, he was the only one that could make her feel this way. So, his hands found their way to her waist, his long fingers caressing the skin under her top.

"Zander… Are you sure…?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

"Never been so sure in my entire life, Malia." He told her, leaning down for another kiss. And, when he was inches away…

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

 **.~.~.**

The two fire mages sat in the living room, Zander on the couch and Malia on the small table of the room. Zander had his elbows on his knees and was holding his face, while Malia looked down at the tiles of the floor like they were the eighth wonder of the world. Aida stood, arms crossed, between them and Jace was next to Malia, eyeing her curiously. As to Tillie and Airdan, the two sat on the other couch, not understanding why Aida had dragged them all to the living room, and Diego and Sky leaned against the wall, Diego footless and shirtless, his pants wrinkled, and Sky wearing nothing but his shirt.

"Well? I'm waiting." The noble said.

"I don't know what you are waiting for." Zander responded, ruffling his hair.

"You know damn well what I'm waiting for, Zander! I want a fucking explanation!" Aida yelled "Me and Jace go to the basement, wanting to check on your training and I find the two of you all tangled up on the floor, making out for no apparent reason!"

"Well, and that's not your problem, now is it?" Malia asked, lifting her head "Aida, we're all adults here. Seena might be the only exception, but in this living room, we're all adults. And we all know the power of carnal seduction. C'mon, you and Jace walk around acting like a pair of horny rabbits! At least, me and Zander act on our attractions. You still want him, yet you make no move whatsoever to show it. Don't lecture me about hooking up with somone I care about if you are unable to do the same."

Aida glared at the girl, but didn't said anything further. Malia nodded, and stood up, walking to Aida and patting her shoulder, before leaving the room. Zander followed her with his eyes and, when she left, he went back to gaze the floor with great interest. Jace shook his head and went to sit next to the fire mage, while Aida shook her head and followed Malia out the door. Tillie had a huge smile on her face and Airdan eyed her curiously, and Diego, wrapping his arm around Sky's shoulder's and left the room in their bedroom's direction.

 **.~.~.**

"Anything you'd like to add to your speech?" Malia asked, not turning her gaze at the door.

"Not really. But I do need someone to talk to."

The mage turned to see Aida at her doorframe. The two women were in Malia's room, and while Malia was at the window, looking at the view, Aida was standing at her doorframe, with her hand on the knob. Motioning the white haired girl to come in, Malia sat on her bed, and waited for Aida to do the same. When the two were comfortably settled down, the bronze haired girl placed her whip on the nightstand, and undid her boots. Aida watched her get more comfortable and, before she knew it, she was talking.

"I just don't know what to think anymore."

"About him, you or the relationship?"

"All of them. I don't know what to do with him, I don't know what's wrong with me, and I don't know what is the relationship we have."

"That's a handful. Let's start slowly. Why do you think there's something wrong with you?" Malia asked.

"Have you looked at him?" Aida asked "He's a god, Malia. And under that shirt there's nothing else but a bar of white chocolate. That baby face, that handsome smirk and those sparkling blue eyes! I'd ask you if I were blind, but apparently, I'm just stupid! I've seen tons, and I mean _tons_ of girls throwing themselves at him. And I'm just like, why in the name of fuck are you still with me? Rogue, there was this girl. She was tall and lean and absolutely gorgeous, and just fucking perfect, brown hair and green eyes, and she asked him out. And he smiles, and says 'I'm all good for the night. But thanks anyway, doll'. What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Did he ever tell you he had feelings for you?" Malia asked.

"Yeah, sure. He even told me he loved me." Aida blushed.

"Then why are you asking what's wrong with him? You know damn well what's wrong with him. He loves you, not some drop dead gorgeous bitch. You, Aida. He chose you. So, whether you're gonna be a dick and keep pushing him around like a ragdoll, or you gonna grow balls and tell him what you feel."

"I don't know what I feel…" Aida admitted "That's the thing."

"Okay. Question time! Do you think he's cute?"

"Yeah. I mean, sure. He's cute."

"Could you spend a day without talking to him?"

"I don't think so."

"Is he interesting for you?"

"Yeah. He's always spitting fun facts."

"Are you protective of him?"

"Sure. When he's in danger, I always go save him."

"If this girl, whoever she is, started getting too affectional with Jace, what would you do?"

"It depends. If he's into her or not."

"He doesn't give two shits about her."

"I'd shove her away and tell her to get out?"

"If she pushed, would you push back?"

"Yeah."

"Would you beat her, if she was getting too affectionate?"

"Hell yeah!"

"Why?"

"Because that's my man!" Aida exclaimed, frowning.

"Then there's your answer." Malia smirked.

"What?"

"You like him, Silver. Just the simple thought of another girl around him is enough for you to get off. He's into you, he loves you, he said it himself, but the only reason why you two aren't in a relationship already it's because you are an idiot. And that's final. He has them in the right place, Aida. You are the one that doesn't. If that man told you he loved you with no looking back, then he means it. He's willing to take chances for you. Every chance. It's your own fault that you two aren't together. Because he's made the move. You haven't responded."

"Excuse me, ladies?" Aridan's head popped up from the door "Just wanted to let you know that the trip back to Adeshia is scheduled for tomorrow at noon. Make sure you are at the port by that time."

"Thanks, Airdan." Aida nodded. Once the moon elf closed the door once more, Aida asked "Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Easy. Grow a pair, lock yourself in a room with him, tell him you love him, and fuck him right."

"Are you serious?"

"Serious as I can ever be, Silver. You need this."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm sorry for the strong language that both Malia and Aida give away. It's just in their DNA.**

 **I hope you liked this chapter; if you did, then hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts! I wish you a great day (or night) and I hope you dream of a tea party in a cloud castle with unicorns sitting on cupcakes!**

 **Isn't that a view?**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	11. Chapter 11: Jaida

**Good afternoon! (it's 3pm)**

 **How are you all? I hope you're all good, because it's time for a fresh new chapter! And here I am, finally keeping up with schedules! Impressive, huh? (✿◠‿◠)**

 **So, with that being said, I think it's time to surpass that little detail. Today is all about Jaida! Yey for me, because they are my favorite ship EVER. In this game, anyway. Because it's true. Jaida is the best. Admit it.  
MOVING ON! It might be a slightly short chapter, because I am short on time, and I'm bringing new stuff for this fic, and I am also completely pissed off because the new season of Scorpion only comes out October this year and it's too god damn longto wait for the cliffhanger they dropped on the last episode of season 2! If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about. If not... Then what are you waiting for, honey?**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, I'm glad you liked it :) Let's take a good look at the afterwards results, shall we?**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, you can say all you want, you know I understand you... And Malia and Zander didn't get to _that_ point, but they will *wink wink* if you know what I mean. Let me know if you want graphics or nah :). Thank you for your kind words and read ahead!**

 **Done!** **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Jaida.**

* * *

The ship sailed in the early morning, and the group was in the quarters that Nina saved for them. Tillie opened her eyes and got up from the bed, intending to leave the room when someone knocked at her door. It was no other than Jace. The dwarf told him to come inside, and so did he, and as soon as the door was closed, he started talking. Unfortunately, he talked extremely fast, so Tillie didn't understand a word he was saying. Stopping him, she said:

"Jace, slow down. What is it?"

"Can you tell Skirts to come train with me? I can't find him anywhere, and I really need a fight."

"Why?"

"I had a… Strange dream last night. And I need to get it off my system. Please."

"Wet dream?"

"Yeah. With Aida." He admitted, blushing. The girl nodded and pushed her head out the door, screaming "ZANDER!"

The moon elf soon showed up and, noticing the expression on Tillie's face and Jace's hidden one, he sighed and grabbed the ex-knight by the collar and punched him. That seemed to set Jace off, and the two quickly began a fist fight, that soon moved towards the main deck, pushing and throwing people around in their quarrel. Aida and Malia heard the commotion, since their rooms were on the other side of the ship, and attempted to stop the fight, but Tillie stopped them, letting them know that both males needed to fight that quarrel.

"Boys will always be boys, ladies." Tillie told the two girls, smiling knowingly.

"Am I the only one that feels freaked out when she does that face?" Malia asked when the dwarf left their side.

"No." Aida told her, shrugging "I feel that way too."

The rest of the day was spent in the quietude of the ship. Malia was introduced to Nina, whom welcomed her as part of the family easily, saying that 'Any friend of Aida is my friend as well'. That made Malia smile, and she rewarded the Captain with a nice and quick apple pie recipe that she could easily do while on sea. Aida and Sky spent the rest of the day together, Diego trained with Jace, Tillie was making potions with Zander and Seena and Malia sat on the upper deck, the little girl being tangled up in Malia's cape, sleeping.

It was nice, to see the sea move away beneath her feet, to see the end of the land pushing away from her, and the endless sea joining her once more. It was peaceful, and soul-losing at the same time. The soft snores of the Ileth cuddling in the tail of her black cape was soothing, and Malia felt herself smiling at the relaxation every aspect brought her. The sea, the sleeping child next to her, and the peace it brought to her soul. She quickly decided there that, if she were to die one day, she would like her eternal rest to be in the sea. The waves would be her eternal prison.

A presence soon fell next to her, to the other side of her, and the bronze haired girl didn't need to look up to know who was it. His warmth was something that she had come to know by heart. Long were the times she had fallen asleep next to him, and the same peace was brought to her. Peace that she received during troubled times, peace that was the most enjoyable. And she was glad that, no matter what they went through, the two could still find each other and bring together that small piece of heaven.

"Tell me what's on that busy mind of yours." He spoke softly, not wanting to wake the child that slept calmly.

"A lot of things. It's a busy mind, like you said."

"Are you worried about coming back?" he asked again.

"Why would I be worried?" Malia asked, frowning.

"There are a lot of stuff that went down in Adeshia that you probably don't want your lover to know…"

"Zander is not my lover…" she whispered, blushing.

"Rogue, no matter how hard you try to conceal it, I know your heart beats for him. Woman, I've known you for long, long time. Look at me in the eyes, and talk to me and I'll know whether you're lying or not."

"Shut up, Diego." She smirked.

"Why would I, when I know I'm right?"

"How should I act?" she asked, turning to look into his green eyes "I mean, the person I was before is not the person I am now."

"Be you. If they call after the older you, then give them the older you. But if you want to ask me, then I don't think there's much of a difference. You're still hotheaded, mean, fierce, bitchy and careless. The only thing that might have changed is that you no longer bed any man or woman, and that you're not as arrogant as you were before."

"Think Calida misses me?" she tried.

"After the beating you gave her? Hardly doubt it." He smirked, and both started laughing.

"Thank you for this, Diego. But, are you sure your lover doesn't mind this?"

"Sky trusts me. No matter how bad she denies it, I know she does. And if I tell her it's over between us, then it is."

"Good. Zander knows that too. What else do you have for me to hear, Diego?"

"One word. Ryker."

"What about him?"

"Does Zander know?"

"No." she told him "And I don't think he should."

"Rogue, he's your-"

"I don't care! I'm not going through the 'poor girl' phase again! I'm not! So, no, I'm not going to tell Zander about Ryker or what he did to me because I'm not that person anymore. Learn that, Diego. And if I find out that you shared that story with anyone, I will scorch you to the ground. Trust me."

"I won't. Not until it becomes absolutely necessary. Because you know that he will chase after you the second he lays his eyes on you."

"I know. And I'm ready for that. But let me be the one telling that story, Diego. Please."

.~.~.

A knock on his door woke him up from his light slumber. He opened his eyes lazily, and stared at the blurry ceiling. It was becoming clearer by every passing second the lines that defined the boards of the ceiling, and his head was becoming less fuzzy. The memories were coming back to him. The reason why his left shoulder ached. The meaning behind the fresh bandage on his cheek. Why he was in his chamber and not lying in the middle of the main deck. All the memories, all the flashes and decisions floated back to his mind, and he remembered everything.

And then, the knock was heard again.

Realizing he had to get up, Jace groaned and shook his head, stretching his muscles and getting up from the bed, walking slowly to the door and opening it. In front of him, bathed by the moonlight was no other than his favorite noble, standing, with her back turned to him. Her hair was loose, cascading in soft white waves down her back. At the sound of the wood creaking, the woman turned around, and Jace lost himself in her eyes. Something was different. What he didn't know. But he was about to find out.

"Hey, Gorgeous."

"Jace. Hi." She said, gulping.

"What are you doing here, Aida? In the middle of the night nevertheless?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.

"I… I couldn't sleep… And I had a lot of stuff in my head… And since I knew Malia wasn't in her room, and Sky is sleeping with Diego and Zander is asleep and Seena is too young and Tillie was going to embarrass me to the end of Old Kingdom and back, the only one left was you…"

"Wanna talk about the stuff that's bothering you, beautiful?" Jace smiled, pushing his door further open and giving her space to pass.

"Yes. Thank you…" she whispered, entering his room and hearing him close the door behind him.

"You're welcome anytime." He said, and sat down on the bed. He patted the seat next to him, motioning her to sit, and so she did, her fingers twitching. Noticing this, Jace frowned and asked:

"Aida? What's wrong? You look more nervous than that time we had to face your weird-ass nightmares."

"Well, this is a more complicated thing than that." She chuckled, sighing.

"Talk to me, beautiful."

"I… I'm worried about the future."

"In what way?"

"I… I see everyone find their true strength to fight, like Tillie found hers in Airdan. But I also see the twisted stuff that goes on around me. My best friend fell in love with the person that killed her father! I don't understand that, but I accept it, because that's what she wants! And I've learned my lesson, I have. I'm seeing the man that I've always thought stone cold falling for an old friend of mine! And I can't help but worry…"

"About your own true power, huh?" Jace smiled sadly, casting his eyes away from her "Yeah, I know the feeling."

"What are you talking about?" Aida asked.

"I know what it's like. I mean, having great friends, and knowing that you would die for every single one of them, even the most annoying one, but the true power within you, the one soul that you know you're going to cross worlds just to save them, isn't beside you. I know what that's like, Aida. We're like kids, pining after a toy we can't have. We're selfish, and we have no reason to be that way."

"We have a reason, Jace. We want the toy, we should go and get it!"

"It's not that easy, doll."

"It's never that easy…" she sighed "Is it?"

"No." he shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"What if I want to?"

"Want what?"

"To reach out and take what I want?"

"You might fall."

"But I'll never know if I don't try, right?"

"Of course." He told her, closing his eyes.

"Thank you." She said. Jace frowned and was about to speak up when he felt his head being turned and his lips taken by another pair.

He tried to fight at first, but something clicked in his mind and he gave up, his hand rising to grab the back of her head, pulling her to him. Sucking on her lower lip, he heard a delicious moan escape her mouth, and smirked at the sound. It was sexy and sweet, all he ever expected from her. Their lips moved against each other desperately, trying to dominate the kiss, but as the stubbornness of both got the best of them, they pulled away, panting. Jace opened his eyes to look into hers, and found them glowing.

"What was that?" he whispered.

"Me taking what I want…" she told him, forcing a smile.

"Aida… I don't think I-"

"Jace, I know I'm not the best lover in the world. Hell, I'm hardly the best person in the world! But, just like you never gave up on me, so didn't I give up on you. It's hard and stupid and pure desperation to maintain a relationship with me. I know that! But you never gave up, Jace. And I want to reward you for your patience. In the only way that I can."

"No."

"What?" Aida asked, pulling away.

"Aida, I'm not gonna do this with you. No, I refuse. There's a little something called heart, and mine is gonna break if we do this and tomorrow we're friends again. And I can't have that! I want the whole thing with you, Gorgeous. I wanna hold your hand in the street and kiss you in front of everyone. I wanna hold you and put a ring on that finger to let everybody know you're mine. I love you, Aida. You know that. But I can't have you breaking my heart like that. I'm sorry."

"I don't understand. I'm looking for the exact same thing you're asking from me, and you're pulling away?"

"What?"

"Jace… I want you to hold me all the time. I want you to kiss me on the street. I want to be able to call you mine, and if a ring is what it takes, then be it! I don't care! I want to be with you, Jace. I can't imagine my life without you anymore. I think you are my real reason to fight."

"Aida…" he whispered, caressing her cheek "You've been mine the second I laid my eyes on you…"

"Can I kiss you now?" she asked. Jace smirked and pulled her to him, sitting her on his lap, straddling him, and said "Baby… By the rate this is going, you're gonna get a lot more than just one kiss."

"Give me all you got, Hot Stuff."

* * *

 **A/N: Welele, this was fun to write! Let me know in the reviews what do you think! Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	12. Chapter 12: Adeshia

**Goooood... Morning? I don't know, it's lunch time here, so I'm not sure...**

 **So, it seems like I have failed to post this yesterday... Sorry...** **ͼ(ݓ_ݓ)ͽ Anyway, I'm publishing today, so screw it... So, how's your day going? How is your summer going? Mine is going too hot, seriously, my house is cooler than the street outside, I don't even know how can people stay in the beach with such blazing heat... It just fails to me...**

 **Anyway, from what I've read in your reviews, ya'll enjoyed last chapter! And I have a suggestion to make it more grapphic, which means... You know I'm gonna do it, ya'll.** **(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) And it's chapter is extra large, to make up to you...**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, you're right, it's about time they hooked up. And yes, sure I accept your help with the juicy scene. :D**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thank you, and I'm glad you like the dialogue! It's was a little bit hard to write... :D**

 **Got nothing more to say, than letting you know that I LOVE YOU ALL and it's _TOO HOT_!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Adeshia.**

* * *

The sun was high in the sky as they crossed the desert on foot, in the middle of the hottest day they had ever faced. Seena walked beside the group, complaining about the heat, and the fact that she was thirsty, but the group had long stopped hearing to her complaints; they felt the same way as her, and thinking about it only made it worse. They all tried their tricks; Tilie made herself a cooling potion (which she shared with everyone else, leaving almost nothing to each), Sky had her side skirt over her head to cover from the sun, Jace was shirtless and dragged his sword behind him, the metal having heated up too, Zander was also shirtless and had isolated himself from his fire, Aida had her braid tied around at the base of her head and Diego had stripped himself of his shirt and had it over his head. As to Malia, she had pulled the hood of her black cape over her head and hid herself under the material. How she was able to put up with the heat, no one knew.

"Roogueee!" Seena yelled "I'm hot!"

"If you stopped shouting like a child, you wouldn't be so hot. The fact that you're pulling by your vocal cords is one of the reasons why you're so hot." Malia explained, looking down at her with a serious glint in her eye. "Everyone here is feeling in the skin the high temperature, Minnie, yet you're the only one complaining... You don't need to do that all the time. Just relax and take it all in. It will be over soon, I promise."

"I'm sorry, Rogue..." Seena whispered, pouting "I should have been more considerate with the others..."

"Yes, you should have. But that's okay. We forgive you…"

The rest of the walk was quiet, only a few quiet whispers bothered the silence that settled upon them. Nothing else was said, but a lot was thought. Sky eyed Diego from time to time, Tilie's lips moved from time to time, to show that she was thinking about cold things. Aida was groaning 'penguins' and Jace had his eyes closed, definitely imagining cool baths and naked women around him, inside the same baths. Zander... Well, he was being himself, and was probably thinking abiut something totally Zander-ish that would make Aida's brain turn to rot and make everyone else dizzy with the complicatedness that it really was.

"Halt!" a voice awoken them from their thoughts. Looking up, it was one of Adeshia's guards that, once again, got Aida, Sky and Tillie giggling like fangirls. "State your business."

"Remove yourself from my front." Malia ordered, in the coldest voice she could muster, her face still hidden by hood.

"Who are you to speak to my authority like that?" he asked, pulling out his sword. Malia smirked and removed her hood slowly, before looking the man in the eyes.

"Remove yourself from my front immediately." she said again. The man looked at her face and froze. He started stammering, and gulped, recognizing her immediately. Malia rose her eyebrows and the man started running around like a little scared mouse, to open the gates for them to pass. Nodding when they did, the bronze haired girl pushed the cape over her shoulders, in a way that it only covered her back, and waltzed her way inside Adeshia.

Her face was immediately recognized by the people, and all started to clear up space for her to pass. Aida was amazed with her friend's reputation in the streets of the country. Clearly she was feared. Seena gulped and walked to Malia, looking up to her. The woman smiled and winked at her, before turning her expression into an evil, cold one and stopping, reaching out for two apples, giving one to Seena and taking a bite of the other. The girl ate with glad, hiding behind the Malia's legs.

"Rogue." a voice said.

"Diego." she smirked, and turned to face him.

"Who knew that you would set foot here once more?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"This is my home, after all. Are you going to forbid me from coming here?" she raised her brows.

"You and I both know that no one can tell you to do a thing. You're too much of a wild bitch."

"Guilty of all charges." she smirked "Where to, boss?"

"The Silk." he said "Catalina said she misses having you as her model."

.~.~.

The group was walking through the streets of Adeshia when they arrived a neighborhood. Diego walked them through the familiar passage that led to the Silk. Hearing the familiar sounds of music and pleased voices, Malia allowed a soft smile to grace her face. Pushing the door open, Diego told a woman to bring him Catalina, that he had a surprise for her. And that she should come fast, because the surprise wasn't very patient. And said woman, Catalina, arrived few moments after the woman that received them went to get her. The woman's voice ringed at her ears before she saw her.

"Diego, you better have a damn good reason for why to you dragged me away from a very important meeting to come to-!" but immediately stopped when she saw Malia.

The bronze haired girl opened her arms to the woman and the latter one immediately ran to her, wrapping her arms around her. Malia immediately hugged her back, letting herself fall in the warmth that the embrace provided her. It was long since the last time that the two have seen each other, and the longing between the two was enormous. Pulling away slightly, Catalina smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes, before pressing a small kiss in Malia's lips. The girl smiled and rested her forehead against hers, before pulling away.

"I knew you would come back..." Catalina whispered, caressing Malia's face.

"I never said that my leave was forever, Lina..." she told her "But I didn't come back the same, love."

"What do you mean?"

"I fear that you and I may have a lot to discuss. Especially when it comes to our... Relationship."

"Do you wish to come to a more secluded room?" She asked, eyeing the group.

"Yes, please." Malia nodded "It would be for the best."

Catalina took them to a room in the back, that no one ever used, and opened the door for them, allowing them to enter, and closing the door behind herself. Sitting down on one of the cushions, she sighed and turned to Diego, whom merely shook his head and pointed at Malia. Zander switched his gaze from Malia to Diego, trying to understand why did Catalina, the owner of the Silk, had kissed Malia, _his_ Malia, if he dared to say. But he didn't, so he kept quiet, sitting next to Tillie, but the dwarf must have understood his feelings, for she grabbed his arm and laid her head on his shoulder.

"So?" Catalina asked "Rogue, I'm thinking about the worst, so just please, tell me what changed."

"My heart did." She explained "I still love you, Lina, and I always will, but someone else took place there. And, unfortunately for the others, fortunately for me - I think - that person occupies a lot of space. Almost every space that I have left in my heart."

"You're in love with someone else." Catalina smiled "That's what you're trying to tell me, right?"

"I don't think it's pure love. But it is definitely a major attraction, and it is taking over my heart. I'm sorry, Lina."

"Why would you be sorry, silly girl?" Catalina smiled "That's everything I've ever wanted for you. Is it not?"

"Yes, but I thought you would be sad that..." Malia started, but Catalina laughed and told her "Of course I'm sad that our little rendezvous is over, but I want you to know that I'm happy for you. Thank the Old Kings that you have someone in your life. Other than that constant shadow, Ryker."

"He's history, Catalina. And I thought that you, of all people, knew that better."

"Of course I know... I'm sorry."

"It's okay..." Malia said, smiling "Should we take a walk around town? Call me a bitch, but I missed the feeling of being feared."

"Fine, bitch." Diego smirked "Let's go."

As they walked around in the busy streets of Adeshia, some commotion started to be heard. Malia instinctively reached out for her whip, and stood alert. Diego eased a hand on her shoulder and frowned, trying to understand where the commotion was coming from. And the answer came, in the shape of a man. A well-built and tall man, with dark skin and angry look. His hair was dark brown, and spiky, and his eyes were blazing, the right one brown and the left one red. A nasty scar covered the latter one, and a zigzagging tattoo encircled the other one. He wore an opened black vest, ripped at the shoulders, and black pants, a brown strip of leather crossing his chest diagonally and tying to a brown belt around his waist, his hands being covered with bandages. He walked to the group and, when his eyes landed on them, he stopped.

"Rogue." He said, his voice filled with anger.

"Ryker." She said, raising her eyebrows "Move. You're in my way."

"I thought they were joking when they said you were back. But apparently, they weren't. You really are back."

"Don't worry cutie, I'm not planning on staying for long. And seeing your ugly ass face just decreased my staying here."

"How is that scar of yours?" he bit "You know, the one I made with my dagger?"

"Oh, it's better than you'll be in a few seconds if you don't go away." Malia threatened.

"Oh, little fox is back! Never thought I'd see the day, especially after that time I got you begging for-" BAM!

Ryker's words were followed by Malia's fist on his face, taking him down to the ground in one movement. Her growling could be heard between her teeth and her eyes sparkled of her blue fire, burning with passion. Zander sensed the wave of power taking over her and immediately grabbed the girl's wrist, snapping her attention back to him. His gaze told her everything, and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. When her beating heart finally slowed to a more healthy pace, she closed her eyes and straightened her back, nodding quickly to Zander.

"You authentic bitch." The Adeshian swore, glaring at her "I'm going to kill you..."

"The Queen's guards!" A child shouted, running inside the markets at full speed "The Queen's guards are here! Run! Hide! Find shelter, for the Queen's guards are here!"

"Fuck." Malia whispered "Diego, take them to the hideout. We all know I'm the one they're after."

"Let's go." the Adeshian male said, taking Sky's arm. Zander frowned and asked "Why?"

"Because I don't want you in danger. Go. We'll meet later, once I break a run from the palace. But right now I have to go."

"I'm not leaving without you." Zander stated, taking her hand in his. Malia smiled and caressed his face with the tip of her fingers.

"I know. But I really need you to go. Don't worry, what they'll do to me isn't something new; I'm used to it. And I've escaped that palace a lot of times before, so nothing should change."

"What they'll do to you? What do you mean by that? Will they harm you?" Zander asked, his grip on her hand tightening.

"Of course. They need to feel like they're in charge. Don't worry though. I'll be fine. I'll be back in two days. I promise, baby. If you miss me that much, at noon of two days from today, stand in the castle doors and look up to the highest tower of the palace. I'll meet you there."

"Be safe." he whispered. "I will." she replied, winking. Stepping away from him, Malia told them to run, and crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for the commotion of the mass just around the corner.

"Took you long enough." she smirked, before being grabbed by one of the guards and pushed to the ground.

.~.~.

"Ouch..." a whimper echoed in the cold dungeon.

Malia had her knees on the stoned floor, her head hanging low. Her arms were locked by chains to the wall, and the girl was limp, strength had left her long ago. Her face was bruised; cheek purple and lip swollen, but she didn't pay attention to the pain. She had been stripped down to her underwear so that only her most intimate areas were covered, and the many scars that marked her growing were showing, and bruising as well. Her so precious whip had been used to abuse of her back, but she knew that those scars would heal to nonexistence; her fire was already working on that. But was she actually complained about was the busting that they had done to her stomach.

"I think it's safe to bring in the Queen. She is weak enough." one of the guards above her said.

"The Queen would never enter this dungeon, are you stupid? Let's bring her to the throne room. She will receive this bandit there." the other spoke, crossing his arms.

"Put a tunic over her, at least. Let's not harm the Queen's eyes with such prudish show." The third said, seeming to be the captain.

The first guard threw a white tunic over her. It was a simple long cloth, with cuts all the way down to her arms and legs and a hole for the head. Malia sighed when the captain and the second guard took her chains from the wall and held them, relaxing the girl's arms for a moment. Gulping when the tissue stuck on her wounds, Malia looked up to the captain. He looked down to her and shook his head. The first guard helped her stand up and the second one grabbed her head, only to pull the strap that held her ponytail up, letting the bronze locks fly around her.

"Leave." the captain said, once they exited the dungeon "I'll take her to the Queen."

The two nodded and left, and the captain said "What are you doing with your life, Rogue?"

"I honestly have no idea of what you are talking about, Jean..."

"Come on, girl... I've seen you grow up inside this palace. You were practically educated inside that dungeon! Why do you keep coming back?"

"Because Calida hates me." she smirked "Simple as that."

" _Queen_ Calida does not hate you. She just doesn't like you, but she could never hate you..."

"You know...? When I ran away from this place, when I was a child, I never expected to come back here. And yet, when I was at death's doors, this was the only place I could think of going to."

"No matter what, this place is home, Rogue. No matter what..."

"I know, Jean..."Malia sighed, standing in front of the large doors "What do you think she's going to do this time? A speech, or she's gonna hit me too? May I remind you that death sentence doesn't work for me anymore..."

"It doesn't work, because you always find a way to escape, you rabid dog." Jean said, shaking his head with a smile "I'll leave you to her. Good luck getting out this time."

"What, you're not going to leave a window open for me?" Malia asked, faking a surprised gasp.

"I get in too much trouble for you, girl. You're on your own, this time." He said, opening the large doors in front of them.

"Fine. But the third story window will go down on your paycheck." She threatened, entering the doors and looking in front.

Sitting on the large wooden throne in the middle of the room was a lady. A tall and elegant lady, with tanned skin and butter caramel eyes, carefully painted in black. Her blood red painted lips were pursed and her expression was calm. Her gown was blood red and black, the skirt being decorated with flowery imprints in gold. Around her neck was a thick golden collar with a red jewel and over her carefully brushed chocolate locks rested a golden crown. Seeing Malia entering the room, she stood up and walked to her, eyeing her from above, and saying, in a poison-filled voice:

"Hello, Rogue."

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it, people! What do you think? Enough to satisfy your curiosity, and still ask yourselves who the heck is Ryker? Hehe, that shall be revealed soon. But not too soon. Hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thought on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	13. Chapter 13: Fighting 4 You

**Hi there!**

 **Damn, I feel proud of myself. Keeping up with the schedule. Isn't that amazing? :D Anyway, today is a great day because it's sunny, but there's also a slight breeze that refreshes a person when she's out there in the sun! Fantastic, right?**

 **I don't know, I haven't left my house yet :D**

 **So, last chapter was... Intense. Malia chose to save everyone and risk her own ass instead. Typical hero complex... When are you done with the self sacrifice, honey? But anyway, she chose to save the ones dear to her and she paid the price. An expensive price. But that was her choice and today is my choice to give you the continuation for this story!**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, the new character, Ryker, it is damn weird, and in this chapter is the reason why you shouldn't like him! And yes, Rogue _was_ in a relationship with a girl, but now is over! :D What can I say, my characters are deep. I'm glad you liked the chapter and thank you for reviewing!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, I'm glad you liked the chapter! :)**

 **\- humanoid, I'm glad you liking it so far! Let me know if you like this chapter as well :)**

 **Oh, and I want to thank to Just Eleanor and Puffy for reviewing in old chapters! Thank you :D**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Fighting 4 You.**

* * *

"Zander, you're pissing me off. There's no need to be prancing around like a cockroach. She said three days, right? Only one passed." Aida said, resting her head on Jace's lap.

"It's not you who has his loved one stuck in a palace most likely being tortured!" he exclaimed, growling.

"My, my, Zander…" Tillie looked up from her book "Finally admitting your feelings?"

"Shut up Tillie." The mage blushed and turned away, but kept walking around.

"Zander, really, that isn't going to do a thing. She told you she would come back in three days, right? Trust her. Because I do." Jace said "Malia is a tough woman. And she never breaks her promises. I have the feeling she isn't going to start now."

"But still. I'm worried about her." He admitted. "Are you telling me I shouldn't be?"

"We never said that, Zander." Sky said "We're just saying that you shouldn't worry that much. You do trust her, right?"

"Well…"

"Zander…"

"Yes. With my life. But that doesn't mean I stopped worrying about her." He said "I care for her. And I don't want her endangered."

"Too bad, she's a specie born endangered." Aida smirked "If she manages to get to the end of one day without a single scratch, that means the Old Kings are alive and coming to enslave us all."

"Yeah, I know that… But don't I have the right to worry?"

"Of course you do, sweetie." Tillie smiled, lowering her eyes back to her book "But that doesn't mean that you can kill the patience in us with your prancing around like a little bitch. Go outside and piss of a merchant about his ridiculously high prices in fabric. Maybe a fight will calm that fiery ass down. And bring me a dress while you're at it."

"Marry me, will you Tillie?" Aida laughed, watching Zander storm his way out of the house.

He growled as he shoved the door shut behind him. No one understood what he felt about her. Not even Tillie, whom had stayed by his side for longer than he could recall. Sighing, he left to walk the busy streets, noticing that a small shadow followed him, whom he saw that it was Seena, hoping that no one would notice a moon elf mage in the middle of a community from all over the world: dwarves, Adeshians, moon elves, sun elves, Kaleiks and Liths. It was like a worldwide reunion. And it was beautiful, to a certain point. The sharing of cultures, the mixed costumes, handing out experience and stories like a community.

But they were loud. And fights would often pick up, when someone didn't agree with another's opinion. And things got messy, without a strict order of rehearsed coordination. It was just too much all over the place, and despise knowing that that was the spirit of Adeshia, nothing stopped him of feeling confused, or even lost. There was no way a man with his organized mind could fit in a messy place like that. And so, he pulled to the side. He hid in an alley, and the Lith followed him, where he could only hear the muffled sounds of the loud life of Adeshian people.

His closed eyes showed him an image of a bronze haired girl. It was admirable, actually, when someone that tried to kill him at first time could come to matter so much in his life within so little time. Her shiny icy blue eyes bore into his soul each and every time he looked at them. Her soft lips wrapped around his… Wait. That was a dream, it didn't happen for real. Get focused, Zander. This is not the time to be thinking about her in such ways. Even though everything she did transpired of sexiness. And he fell for her spells willingly. Nevertheless, he wasn't supposed to be thinking about her in such terms.

Hearing a child's laugh, he turned immediately in the direction of the sound. It was a small group of children. Five in total. A dark haired eleven year old male human with his arm wrapped around a ten year old ginger haired Lith. A pre-teen sun elf carrying a small dwarf toddler on his shoulders. And a human girl talking nonstop in front of group. Zander smiled. It was great to see this grouping of different races, different people since young age. Looking down at his hands, he saw a small flame starting to ignite in them.

"Took you long enough, hum?"

Zander looked up to see no other than Ryker, the man that Malia wanted to 'kill' earlier. He immediately stood up, and gave him a hard look, something that the Adeshian didn't took long to decipher. Chuckling lowly, the male came closer to the mage, and acknowledge his presence. Zander didn't know what he wanted, or what he meant by his words, but he was sure to soon find out. The Adeshian opened his mouth to speak, and when he did, the mage had to hold himself together to keep from burning Ryker to the ground.

"So, what do you think of that ass? Good, right?"

"What do you mean by that?" Zander frowned.

"What, she never told you? About me?"

"I trust her to tell me stuff when she feels ready."

"But while I'm at it…" Ryker smirked "I'm the guy that took from her what she was offering to other men."

"You didn't…" Zander's eyes widened, and flames burst through his veins, demanding him to take the other male's head to himself.

"I did." He smirked "And boy, if it didn't feel good. Of course that the snot and tears show afterwards wasn't pretty, but hey, I got what I wanted. And after that…? She left. From what I heard, she and Diego had a major fight and she just left. That beautiful ass left."

"Boy, yo' ass is going down." Seena said, leaning on her elbow and sighing.

"The hell you talking 'bout, Shrimp?"

But instead of receiving an answer from the Lith, what he received was a punch on the cheek by a flaming hand that belonged to no other than Zander. Taking a step back to understand what just happened, he saw something that made him gulp. Instead having his arms engulfed in flames, like usual occurrence in a battle, Zander's entire body was covered in flames, causing the articles of clothing that covered his body, leaving him almost bare. Luckily, his underpants were fireproof, something that had revealed itself useful once, to keep his nudity at bay. But that was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

He threw another punch, which Ryker had time to dodge, but not from the side kick the mage was soon to land. His eyes burned and the marking in his face were deeper and more shocking than ever before. Fireballs were shot, daggers were pulled, cuts were made and burn marks created. Ryker feared for his life when Zander grabbed him by his throat and pushed him against the wall, but a swing of his dagger was enough to set free.

Blood poured down his right pectoral, but his fire was already burning through the wound. Unknowingly, Seena watched the fight with intensity, but immediately acted when Zander stripped Ryker of his daggers and wrapped his hand around the Adeshian's neck once more, tightening his grip. Ryker's piercing scream was all that was heard before Seena shot a ball of light in their direction, causing the males to fly backwards. Zander crashed against a wall, while Ryker landed on the floor. Grabbing his burnt skin, he looked up to Seena.

"Leave" she told him "and don't you ever come back."

Zander sat up and looked at Seena, before nodding and taking her hand, feeling it shake. A whispered apology was all that he said, before picking the girl up and walking away from the now empty alley. Snatching a purple and teal tunic in the first stand he saw, he cleaned the blood that poured down his chest. Eyeing the merchant when he dared to open his mouth, Zander shot him a glare that would make Aida's knees buckle with fear. Walking back to the house with Seena's arms and legs wrapped around his neck and torso, he pushed the door open, startling the inhabitants inside.

"What hell came crashing down on you?!" Aida asked, watching his bruised knuckles and cut chest.

"Ryker." he simply said, looking at Tillie "Here's the dress you asked for. You might want to wash the blood first."

"Shit." Diego said, standing up and walking after Zander.

"Diego?" Sky asked, watching Diego leave the room to follow the mage. "Not now, baby" he said "I need to talk to Zander."

As he walked inside the moon elf's bedroom, Diego saw him pull on a pair of black pants and lay a sleeveless black shirt with a V-neck neckline on the bed, holding his right hand over his injured pectoral to heal it. Diego watched him carefully, the mage having his eyes closed to focus on the incantation. Opening his eyes once more and removing his hand from a now fully healed chest, he put on a shirt and sat down on the bed, looking up to Diego to see what he was still doing there.

"What happened?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because I'm the closest thing that Rogue has to a family, and if she find her boyfriend hurt when she gets here, she will nail my ass to the wall, and I wanna have a good explanation to give her."

"Ryker. He showed up, and he said a few things about Malia that I didn't like… So, maybe I snapped. A little too much."

"And your clothes just disappeared?"

"My fire burned them." He explained, blushing. "Tell me about him. I wanna know what happened."

"So… About Ryker. He was a tough guy that enjoyed terrorizing the streets of Adeshia. He was the kind of guy that loved kicking ass, saving the world, twice before Friday and hang out with the ladies. The usual cocky type. One time, I was in the markets with Rogue and he set his eyes on her. The normal day-to-day activity of the males. And Rogue is that kind of person that is confident on what she has. So he starts flirting with her, and I let, because I know that soon, she's gonna kick him down."

"What happened?"

"She does. She kicks him down. And I walk away with her. The thing is… He doesn't drop it. He's not used to ladies turning him down, and Rogue is the first one that does it. So he obsesses. One time, me and Rogue were coming back from a mission and he set us up. Bad. She had already turned him down a lot, and I guess he was mad. And drunk, by the stench of his breath. And he messed around so bad that he ended up attacking her. And she defended herself. That's how he got that scar on his eye. She pushed him away and pulled out her whip, and slashed his eye. That's why it's red."

"Okay…"

"He got rougher after that episode… Until he… He…"

"Assaulted her." Zander growled, making Diego look up.

"Yes. How do you know?"

"He told me. Every little detail."

"I'm… I'm sorry, Zander."

"Yeah, me too. If it wasn't for Seena, I would have killed him on the spot." The mage got up, and went for the door "I'll be waiting for her in the palace doors. See you in two days."

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it, people! I guess it seems a little strange having Zander trying to murder someone, but hey, I had to... Let me know your thoughts!**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	14. Chapter 14: Escaping

**Hi there! How's it going?  
**

 **So, I'm really happy today and no, it's not because of sugar. That was yesterday, and I'm ashamed to say that my best friend caught the most of it. But in all seriousness, I didn't even eat sugar! Or chocolate! But anyway, I'm better now and everything is just fine! Moving on from the fact that I should have posted this two days ago, but it doesn't matter!**

 **It's here today!**

 **Anyway, I wanna thank everyone that has been reading this story and especially the ones that leave a review, (LD92, MS009, STA25, Puffy, Penny, humanoid, Harley, Guest) All of you! You guys make me so happy, and I really couldn't ask for more... So, last chapter was a bomb, right? Finding out about Malia, her situation, and a little bit of her past! Just a peek, but there's more coming! Wait for it!**

 **Anyway, REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, I know it's like you ;) and so glad you liked it!**

 **\- STA 25, Sky is right here, honey! And, here is the new chapter! I hope you like this one too!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, I told you Ryker was weird! And I'm glad you support having Zander trying to kill him. And Tillie sure is a special someone!**

 **\- Penny28, thank you for your kind words! Really, that's super sweet of you! I really appreciate it :D**

 **\- humanoid, thank you, first of all, and more background on Malia is coming!**

 **\- Harley, I'm really happy you liked it, and please, read ahead!**

 **I wanna thank every single one of you for your reviews and if I'm not asking too much, READ AHEAD!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Escaping.**

* * *

The sun was high in the sky, the birds singing at the top of their lungs. Maybe for instinct, maybe to overpower the noise that the city produced. They flew over buildings just to land on another shadow, where they could escape the blazing heat the weather brought them. The sun was tolerable, but the problem was the cloudless sky. There were no small relief moments in which people could rest in between the heat waves. And it was to escape that heat that our heroes walked fast to the next shadow, which happened to be the markets.

"What are you doing?" Diego asked, eyeing Sky curiously, watching her compare a silver armlet with a leather cuff bracelet.

"I'm choosing a gift for Malia… I want to thank her for saving us and for helping me get to you."

"Okay…"

"I mean, I think she deserves it. Don't you? She fights so hard that I think she needs a reward for her efforts. And three days is a long time to be locked up. So… What do you think?"

"The silver one is nice…" he said, wrapping his arms around Sky's waist "But Malia would go for the leather. Is more her thing."

"Then I'll get it." The brunette smiled, paying for the bracelet "Where to next?"

"Let's just wait on Aida and Jace to be over with arguing with the weapons' dealer and we should be ready to go."

"They are gonna be there for a while…" Sky sighed, turning around so that she was facing Diego "Maybe I can shock them…"

"Nah… Let's make our waiting a little bit more… Fun. Shall we?" he smirked, looking down at her.

"What do you have in mind, Diego?" Sky asked. The man's smirk grew wider and his hand travelled down, taking a good grip on the girl's ass. Hearing her sharp intake of breath, he whispered "I think you know what I have in mind."

"Diego…" she whimpered "Behind the restaurant?"

"That's my girl." He said, pulling her by the hand to a promising fun time.

Meanwhile, with Tillie…

"Are you saying that you will sell me this group of potions for a smaller price than that petrifying potion?" she asked the moon elf.

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying." He said, receiving money from another customer.

"How? I mean, which mind will do that? The petrifying potion is a lot cheaper than all these five potions together."

"I have to raise the price, miss, so that I can afford the license of selling harmful potions to a costumer." He explained.

"You'd be in jail just by _claiming_ to sell every single potion in here. People look for that potion the most, don't they?"

"It's a mere trick in the occupational hazard, miss." He smirked.

"I'm going to take these five, and when you lower that price by fifteen coins, I'll come and buy that one too."

"What do you need all of this for, anyway? Are you going to cast a spell or something?"

"I'm an Alchemist." She explained, paying for the potions "Things like this come in handy."

"Have it your way, miss." He said, waving her goodbye "Have a good day."

"You too." She smiled, and turned to the mess Aida and Jace were doing "You guys! Knock it off!"

"Shut up, Tillie!" Aida said "This asshole is actually asking me for a bag of gold over that sword when I can clearly see that rusty ass thing ain't even worth half of it!"

"Hey, that's a perfectly fine sword!" the short large man said.

"No it isn't, old man!" Jace fought back. Tillie cleared her throat and said "Excuse me dear sir…"

"Yes, miss? How may I help you?"

"I apologize for my friends' outburst towards your workplace and established prices. I feel like they may have offended you in front of your regular customers."

"They have, indeed." The man nodded, glaring at the couple.

"And I profusely apologize for such act. However, I do believe that their insinuations are very much correct. So much that you could indeed see the brownish flaking coating of iron oxide from a mile away. So, that being said, I have nothing more to say other than request your modest dismiss so that we can carry on with our lives, living by each guidance."

"What?"

"She's saying your sword is rusty and that we're out of here, old man." Jace explained, wrapping one arm around Aida's shoulders and another around Tillie's own arm and walking away.

The two girls laughed while leaving the dumbstruck man behind, along with a handful of chucking customers. She called out for Sky and Diego, telling them that they were off to the castle, having seen the show from earlier and knowing that the brunette couldn't resist the charm of the older man. And they walked, crossing the town to reach the imposing castle that surpassed the heights of the city buildings. Having let go of Tillie to focus his attention on Aida, Jace almost missed the sharp cry that resonated through the city vibrations. Almost.

"What was that?" Aida asked.

"I don't know. But it came from the castle." Tillie said.

"Do you think…?" Jace supposed, but Aida shook her head "No. No matter how much pain she would be in, she would never scream this loud."

"Calida?" Tillie suggested.

"Maybe. But if it really was her, than the guard of the castle will be all the way up. I don't know how Malia is gonna leave the castle."

"Walking out the front door?" the male asked, chuckling "That would be so her."

"Not even she is that stupid." Aida said "Even though there was one time she and I did that…"

"Look, it's Zander!" Tillie exclaimed, waving at the moon elf. He nodded to them and waved back, before turning his head back to the castle, the frown permanently on his face. Tillie touched his arm for his attention, and the male smiled down at her, caressing her ginger locks.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I will be, as soon as I have her with me." He answered.

"What have you being doing for the past two days?"

"I've been around. Picking up small jobs and offers. Making pocket money and spending time. I bought her something, I don't know if she's going to like it." He said.

"What did you buy? Let me see." She asked, and Zander pulled out a small box from his front pocket and gave it to Tillie. The dwarf opened it to see a beautiful sterling silver ring with an oxidized finish. The curve lines that decorated the ring wrapped around a small zirconia diamond. It glowed with the sun, and made a rainbow out of it. The silvery lines curved at the edges, and made an elegant touch to a simple ring. And, on the inside were carved a few words.

"I look at you and see the rest of my life in front of my eyes." Tillie read "Oh my, Zander, that is the most romantic thing I've ever read!"

"Do you think she will like it?"

"She will love it." She said "But… What does it mean? Zander, are you really going to…"

"No. It means whatever she wants it to mean. I don't want to give meaning to something she might misunderstand."

"Do you want her to misunderstand this?"

"Right now, I just want to have her next to me…" he said, looking up to the castle's towers.

"Hey. Are we late?" Diego asked, his arm wrapped around Sky's waist.

"No." Aida said "Why are you limping, Sky?"

"I fell and hurt my ankle." She blushed.

"Okay…" the noble smirked and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Shut up!"

"I said nothing, what the hell?" Aida laughed, punching the brunette lightly on the arm.

As the silence installed and all of the eyes were settled upon the castle's towers, they noticed the groups of guards gathering around the castle's exits. Everyone picked it up, but only Tillie voiced that something was happening. Shouts were heard, screams let out and movements from the tallest tower revealed by the windows. The guards' mass grew strong, and deep voices shouted orders to catch 'her'. It didn't take a genius to figure out who 'her' was. And their thoughts were proved when the sound of glass breaking echoed in their ears.

Their eyes immediately rose to the roof of the tallest tower just in time to see a white cloaked figure jump off the window. Bronze hair waved at the wind while she soared in the air, before beginning her way down, hard, to the ground. The way down seemed slow, a second was an eternity as her bronze locks were caressed by the air. Her eyes were opened, watching the sky above running away, her lips parted in a silent scream. A hand stretched out to the blue over her before her eyes closed.

No once realized at first what had happened. One second, they were seeing the girl falling in grace, and the second a loud 'crash' was heard, and a cloud of dust rose, covering her from their view. But a scream brought one of them of the trance and ran to the cloud of dust, coming out soon with a restless Malia in his arms. Carrying her princess style, hugging her close to himself, Zander hid his face from her gaze, dazzled and empty.

"Malia, are you okay?" Aida asked, caressing her locks. But the girl only pointed, with a weak arm, to the exit, pulling Zander's shirt with rush.

"I think she's trying to tell us it's time to leave." Jace said, taking Aida's hand.

The group nodded and ran out of the palace, through the busy streets of Adeshia, to neutral ground, the hideout of the Eagles. Diego banged on the door, and once one of the mercenaries opened it, they all rushed inside, and Tillie told Zander to put Malia on the table of the kitchen, to further inspect her wounds. After laying her down and getting the initial equipment for her, Tillie rolled up her sleeves and grabbed a pair of scissors and the edge of the clothing that covered the girl.

"Wait..." Malia whispered, grabbing Tillie's wrist.

"Malia, I need to see you. I need to check your wounds..." Tillie tried to reason her.

"I know..." she fought for words "Zander... Only Zander."

"Okay, honey..." Tillie immediately understood, pulling away "Zander, will you take care of her?"

"Okay. Clear... Clear the room, please." he asked, without looking at Malia.

"Whatever you want. I'll close the door, and when you're done, let me know. Okay?" Tillie suggested. The mage nodded and the dwarf evacuated the kitchen, closing the door behind herself.

Zander gulped and turned to look into Malia's eyes for the first time. They looked lost, but a small shine appeared in them when Zander gazed her back. He moved to her and placed his hands on either side of her legs, never breaking the eye contact. She gulped and a small smile broke in her face, her harsh breath indicating her nervousness. Or her pain. His hand rose to cup her cheek, and his eyes closed, feeling her heat. Her lips parted, and a small whisper came out of them, and the moon elf leaned down to listen to it. She was whispering his name.

"You have to talk to me, okay? What hurts?" he asked, pulling away.

"Everything..." she said "Water..."

He nodded and went to the sink, and filled a cup of water, helping her drink it. "Better?"

"Yes. The tunic..." she pointed, and Zander nodded.

His hands grabbed the hem of the cloth and slowly started gathering it, pulling it up. The tip of his fingers caressed her legs, making her shiver. When he reached her hips, Malia maneuvered herself to help Zander pull the rest of the clothing over her head, raising her arms to conduct the tunic better. Throwing the cloth away, Zander took in her wounds. He tried to ignore her bare body, and focus on the wounds, but that was turning to be a hard job. He placed his hand over her left thigh, where a large gash was, and sighed.

"What happened to you?" he asked, his healing spell already working.

"Calida... The guards were bad, but Calida knows her way with a knife..."

"I'm sorry..." he said.

"Why? You did nothing to harm me... If anything, you helped me..." she told him.

"How did I help? I wasn't there..." he said.

"You were. You were there with me, helping me numb the pain with your baby blue eyes, smooth voice and magical kisses..."

"Malia…" he whispered, stopping to look her in the eyes.

"Don't stop… It feels good, and the feeling increases when I realize it's you here with me." She admitted, and closed her eyes, allowing a shaky breath to escape her lips.

"I won't… But… Do you think you can tell me what happened? Once you had enough rest?" he asked.

"Of course." She nodded "And you'll tell me what happened with you and Seena on that alley."

"How do you know?" he asked, looking up to her closed eyes.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere, Zander…" she smirked "Especially in Adeshia."

"After your rest." He assured her, and continued his treatment.

He looked down at her body. She was covered of fresh scars. A faint one on her left tight, the one that he had healed already, and another under her right thigh. A few seconds holding her right leg were enough to heal that one. The right side of her abdomen was completely injured, a whole mass of scarred flesh exposed. That one took a little longer, because Zander had to apply a salve that Tillie left him. Malia screamed out in agony, and Zander almost whimpered, but he knew he had to proceed with his work. Healing the clean flesh, he applied a bandage there immediately, knowing that the new skin needed protection to survive.

"Almost done." He told her "Want me to heal other old scars?"

"No…" she told him "They're part of my story. I wouldn't trade them."

He nodded and continued. The three cuts on her right cheek were standing, begging for his attention, but he wanted to leave those for last. So, he gently placed his hand on her left shoulder and slowly descended to the collarbone, before going down to the top of her cleavage. It was a large gash, and he was worried about it, since it was where it hurt the most. Leaving it and applying a bandage over it to protect the new skin, he moved his left hand to cup her right cheek. Malia immediately sighed, and allowed a small smile to grace her features, when the pain settled down. Since he didn't want to cause her anymore discomfort, he focused his energies there, and made sure his healing magic got to every end of her body, whispering an enchantment under his breath.

"Thank you…" she murmured.

"What for?" he asked, looking into her opened eyes.

"For the soothing spell you're adding to the healing process." She said, and he blushed. It was true. After the little episode with the scars on her arms, Zander had gone for Seena to ask her how she did her magic. And she was more than happy to explain it to him.

He smiled and pulled away, admiring his handy work. All the scars covering her skin had been taken care, and Zander was tired, but proud of himself. He scooped Malia up in his arms and smiled, opening the door with one busy hand and exiting the kitchen. Six pairs of eyes rose to look at them, but he only hid Malia from their sight, not wanting them to see the condition she was in. Instead, he said he was going to his bedroom and took Malia with him, climbing up the stairs in the most careful way possible. Arriving his destination, he opened his door and kicked it close, before placing her gently down on the bed.

"I'm gonna see if I have anything here that fits you…" he told her, grabbing his bag.

"A shirt is enough. I don't wear much when I sleep. It gets heavy and hard to breathe with." She said.

"Okay." He said, grabbing one of his collarless tee shirts and giving it to her. She quickly put it on, and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Thank you…" she said, and fell down on top of the bed. He smiled and sat next to her lying figure, caressing the locks of bronze hair out of her face.

"You look tired. Why don't you go to sleep?" he asked.

"I will…" she said, resting her head on top of his "If you stay here with me."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't want to sleep alone today, Zander… Will you do that for me?" she asked, looking up to his eyes.

"I would do anything for you, Malia…" he said "But I sleep in my underwear."

"I don't mind." She smiled.

"Okay." He stood up and stripped to his undergarments, before climbing to bed with Malia by his side. Resting her head on his chest and laying one leg over his, she quickly adjusted when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and back, his other arm resting under his head.

Looking up to the ceiling as he felt her grow quiet and still, he closed his eyes, feeling her heartbeat on his side and her soft breathing on his neck, and waited for sleep to catch up to him.

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it! Malia is back, but she is in a rough shape! Let's see what happens in the next chapter and what exactly happened to her in that castle and why! Hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	15. Chapter 15: Zalia

**Snap, look at me posting this on a Sunday! Self high five, world.**

 **So, how's it going on that side of the world? I hope everything goes good, especially because it's back to school season and shit is going down. C'mon, school material, new clothes to show off to all your friends (if you're anything like me, then you'll just buy another pair of sneakers and walk around with clothes you bought two years ago that incredibly still fit. If you're that type, you have earned my respect :* ✌).**

 **And besides, I got a new chapter for 'ya! So, in last chapter, we had Malia coming back from the three day stay in the castle! And she and Zander sleeping on the same bed, but that is just a juicy detail for a shipping mind like my own :D In this chapter, we're gonna take a look at the aftermath! And let's see what's going down, shall we?**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- STA25, don't worry, I love enthusiastic readers like yourself, and trust me, I do not feel freaked out. Thank you for all of your love, it means so much to me, and it's because of reviews like yours that I keep updating. And lots of love from me too, honey! :***

 **\- humanoid, I'm glad you find Zander and Malia cute :D Thank you for your review!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, thank you for your words, and I'm glad that the feelings were so... expressive. If that makes any sense whatsoever. :D**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, baby, I completely understand the delay, don't worry. And I'm glad you're enjoying the moments and the feelings, they are kinda hard to write :D**

 **\- Harley, first of all, thank you for your compliment to my story! Second of all, that suggestion is very interesting, I mean, I could see something like that happen. I had another thing in mind, but I think I can put Sky like that in my story! And no, you're not a bother, I love when readers do suggestions and try to engage themselves in the story, it's fantastic! And I don't think you're annoying at all. You seem like a bubbly person, and I adore bubbly people. They're the cutest. And I bet that you are too ;) (don't get me wrong tho, just being the friendly me)**

 **\- Puffy, thank you for your words! :D**

 **\- JKAVIS, hi! I'm happy that you like the connections, and yes, a family is the image I'm trying to put out! :)**

 **Okay, I've said enough (I think). Penn, got anything you want to say? No? Okay!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Zalia (Zander + Malia)**

* * *

A groan escapes his lips as he opens his eyes to see the strong sunlight. Immediately closing them again, he laid in bed, taking in the peace and heavenly calm that surrounded him. That restful moment in the morning, when you wake up and the world is at peace and you are in harmony with everything? That was the feeling Zander was experiencing at the moment. Perfection. Completism. Tranquility. Unity with the Universe. But like the rule says, it's just for a moment.

He left the bed shift and looked down. He saw a mass of bronze hair cascading down his own torso and onto the silky white bed sheets. A thin arm was wrapped around his torso, and he could feel another pair of legs tangling with his own. He caressed the bronze locks and immediately remembered what had happened the night before. Smiling softly to himself, he allowed his head to fall back onto the pillow and closed his eyes, his long fingers entangling in the hair. He felt her shift again, but remained still, not waiting to wake her up.

But he eventually got tired on the lack of contact between them, so he wrapped his arms around her thinner frame and pulled her to him, hugging her completely. She opened her icy blue eyes to look into his own, and a soft smile appeared on her lips. He smiled back down at her, and caressed her cheek with the tip of his fingers, his gaze softening. She planted a kiss on his collarbone and snuggled back into him, letting out a sigh.

"Good morning." he whispered "Slept well?"

"I did. I think I'm still sore from the injuries, though." she told him "You?"

"Perfectly fine. Best sleep I've had in a while." he smiled.

"I'm glad..." she trailed, looking up to him.

"Do you wish to continue yesterday's conversation?" he asked, knowing perfectly well that she knew what he was talking about.

"We never actually started talking about it yesterday..." she tried to joke her way out.

"Malia." he called, and she immediately stopped.

"Fine. Like I told you yesterday... Calida knows her way with a knife." she admitted.

"I have the temptation of saying that, if you'd just call her 'Queen' like everyone else, you'd get in so less trouble."

"I can't. When I first saw her, she wasn't a Queen, so no way I'm gonna call her that." she said.

"Why are you so stubborn?" he asked himself "When did you meet her?"

"You know Calida's story, right?"

"Yes. That she was ready to run away with a kid, and her mother lectured her, and that caused Calida to take her righteous position as the Queen of Adeshia. Right?"

"Right. That's the story that the castle let out about the situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... The night Calida's mother lectured her and forced her to choose between her country and the peasant, she ran to her room crying. She was packing her bags when I found her. She told me what had happened, and that she was running away with him. And I told her she was being stupid, and that she couldn't do this. She refused to accept my words, so I did what I had to do... Calida had to be Queen. So, I went to the boy and I... I broke his heart. I told him Calida didn't love him and sent me to kick him out. I exiled him. And then I went back to Calida and told her that her loved one had left, and gave me a message for her. A short and simple message - he didn't loved Calida anymore."

"Malia... That's horrible."

"But necessary. Calida got mad at me and exiled me. Her mother went against her call, but all she could do was exile me from the palace. It was painful, but I got over it. I know I did the right thing. But Calida never forgave me for what I did..."

"She knows it was all on you?"

"Yeah. Her mother told her in her death bed." Malia hid her face "So yeah... Every time she has a chance to, Calida reminds me of her pain. And inflicts it on me."

"Why did you do it, anyway?"

"Because, if Calida ran away, then Kael would run over this country! And we both know that it would be too bad."

"I know..."

"Your turn." She said, looking up to him "What happened in the alley?"

"Promise you won't be mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you? Tell me what happened." She asked, cupping his cheek.

"Okay…" he said, defeated "I met up with… Ryker at the alley. And we had an interesting chat. And we ended up fighting. With a lot of rage and madness. And I might have tried to kill him during the fight."

"Why would you do that?" she whispered, her eyes wide with surprise. He looked up to the ceiling and gulped.

"He told me what he did to you… And let's just say I didn't like it one bit." He admitted.

"Zander…" she sat up, looking into his eyes, and covering her chest with the bed sheet "What did he say to you exactly?"

"He told me how he took advantage of you and left you." He sighed "I'm sorry for acting like that, but I just couldn't take his crap anymore…"

"Zander…" Malia whispered, cupping his cheek "I'm sorry you had to learn from him about what happened."

"Do you… Do you want to tell me what happened?" he asked, gulping.

"Don't you already know what happened?" she asked.

"I wanted to hear from you… But if you don't want to tell me, it's okay… I understand."

"I do want to tell you…" she said "One night… He was drunk. And I was caught unarmed, unfortunately. He trapped me in a room and he… He violated me. And when I refused to cooperate, he grabbed his dagger and made me the scar that I have in my back. And it hurt so yeah, I cried. And when I got the window, I ran. That's it."

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, caressing her arm up and down "I should have been there to help you. I'm so sorry."

"Zander, you didn't even know me back then." She smiled and leaned in, touching her nose with his "You have nothing to be sorry for…"

"But I am. I don't know why." He sighed "Like before, I don't seem to comprehend why I seem to care so much about your wellbeing…"

"Well… Maybe I'm a big part of your life. Maybe more than you're willing to admit…" she trailed, sitting back up.

"What are you talking about? Of course I care for you… Immensely. I just don't know where that leads us."

"Us? You really believe that there is an us?" she smiled.

"Why wouldn't it be? I want to have an us. Don't you?" he asked, his smile failing for a second.

"Zander…" she said, leaning down and kissing him softly on the lips "Of course I want this."

"Malia…" he whispered, pushing her down onto the bed and hovered over her "By the Old Kings, you're the best."

And as his hand rose and took his shirt to feel more of her skin, her smile spread through her lips, and a sigh escaped her, as his heat involved her.

.~.~.

"Ah, hell nah!"

Aida stood on a table, looking down to the animal that moved as a serpent on the ground. Sky was behind her, also on the table, and let out every girly scream in the book when the animal got too near to their table. Tillie wasn't around, luckily, because if she was, she would also join the two girls. Seena was sleeping on her room, just up he stairs, completely oblivious to the situation, and the two men, Diego and Jace ran around the room trying to catch the animal.

What animal, would you ask? Well, this animal was tiny, fitting in one human medium hand, four tiny paws with incredible powerful claws, and one thin but long wiggling tail. His coat was grey as concrete and spiky as bristles, although the belly had soft white fur. His eyes were big and dark as night, and his muzzle was long and pointy, long whiskers bobbling whenever he moved. And, for the cherry on top, two large mouse ears stood alert, twitching everywhere.

"Get it, get it!" Sky screamed, letting out another girly whimper.

"Sky, get a hold on yourself, it's just a mouse!" Diego yelled back, trying to catch the little animal, but bumping against a table.

Jace followed his lead, but diverted, and ended up running against the wall. The little mouse was fast, but ever went anywhere else with within reach of the males. It seemed to be playing catch with them, and rather enjoying it. Diego got up again, and threw himself on the floor to try and grab the little one, but the smart mouse ran and escaped the Eagles' leader hold with swift and quick moves. The door opened and Tillie entered, closing it immediately behind her. Looking around and seeing Aida and Sky on the table and both males on the floor, she frowned.

"What the hell is going on here?" she asked.

"Tilie..." Sky stammered "L-look down."

The dwarf did as she was told and, when she saw the little ball of bristles looking up to her with large black eyes, she snapped.

A high pitched scream filled the hair as Tilie threw her bags to the floor and ran to Sky and Aida, climbing up the table faster that she ever could with an energizing potion running strong through her blood. The girly screams kept on, now with the dwarf joining them, and Aida continued to cuss and curse the little mouse to hell and back. Jace and Diego continued to attempt to catch the little sneaky animal, but with no luck in sight. Their screams didn't go unnoticed, however, as a male came downstairs followed by a very sleepy girl.

"What in the bloody hell is going on here?" he asked, watching Jace spread all on the floor and Diego panting hard.

"Zander!" Aida exclaimed "Good morning! How did you sleep?"

"Fine, until your screams woke me up. What is going on here?" he asked, resting a hand on the arms Malia wrapped around his neck.

"Well, let's just say that Sky left the front door open for longer than necessary and shit went down." Aida explained, looking at him "Why are you naked?"

"I'm not naked." he blushed grabbing the waist of his pants and pulling it up "I just woke up, what do you want from me?"

"While you're at it," Tillie smirked "A reason why you're only in your pants and Malia is wearing nothing but your shirt."

"It was hot last night." Malia's sleeping voice echoed "Did Sky let a mouse inside the house?"

"Yeah, she did..." Diego sighed "And the little fucker is fast."

"Is it Mist or Shady?" the bronze haired girl asked.

"What's the difference between them?" the leader of the Eagles asked.

"Mist has a small black spot on his tail." she exclaimed, climbing down the stairs and walking barefoot to Diego.

"It's Shady." he said, taking her hand and getting up.

"Then it belongs to Mae, the little girl from down the street." she said, taking a knee and reaching her hand under the couch, pulling it out seconds later with the little mouse on it.

"How did you do that?" Sky asked.

"Shady loves my fire. Mist is scared of it, but loves cheese." she explained, giving the little mouse to Diego "Can you make sure it gets to Mae?"

"Sure." he said, smiling and kissing her hair "Thanks, Rogue."

"Anytime." she said, walking up the stairs and grabbing Zander's hand "C'mon baby, let's go back to bed."

And, as Diego chuckled to himself and Aida and Tillie stared, mouth wide open to the pair, Sky asked "Did she just...?"

"Yeah." Jace said, smiling and shaking his head "She just did."

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it, people! Zalia is finally a reality! Gosh, I was waiting for this to happen... FINALLY. So, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	16. Chapter 16: Show Me The Truth

**Twice in a row! Bitch, I'm fabulous.**

 **What up, guys, it's your girl LoneeWolf, and I'm back for another chapter! I'm watching too much IISuperwomanII... Anyway, how's it going? I'm not even sad that the sun outside is killing my eyes or that the heat is telling my braincells to shut down, because honey... Your girl just got in college.**

 **FUCK YEAH!**

 **For real, I've been a nervous wreck these past few days, and I couldn't even write! Do you know how hard it is? Hell, I made a chocolate cake AND chocolate muffins and I didn't even feel like eating them! This girl was sick. But now... Now that I know that I'm in... I'ma stuff my mouth with chocolate.**

 **If you'll excuse me...**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, I totally agree with you. Calida is dark, and maybe has her motives, but leet's see what happens in the story, shall we?**

 **\- humanoid, I'm glad you liked the mouse scene! ^.^**

 **Oh, damn, it appears that the chocolate is kicking in... I better shut up before I say something I regret.**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Show Me The Truth**

* * *

"Favorite color." Zander asked, examining a bottle with a clear green liquid inside.

"Blue. Like my fire." Malia answered, drawing a sword out of its sheath.

"Hum… Biggest animal you've ever hunted." He turned to her.

"Hum…" she frowned "What are those big animals called? They change fur if they're in danger or not. Black for danger and golden for normal. Oh and they have these huge fangs that surpass their jaw."

"A sabertooth?! You hunted down a sabertooth?!" Zander asked, amazed.

"Yeah. It was in one of the trips that I made to Valond Mountain. We had to climb all the way up and we encountered a couple of them. We had to feed. But I didn't kill her."

"Her?"

"Yeah. It was a female tiger. Karisa, that's what I called her."

"Who did you go with?" Zander asked, pulling down the bottle and walking to Malia.

"Calida… I went with Calida." Malia said "It is required that the Queen receives the blessing of the Highest Priestess, but she couldn't leave the Mountain because they were on full lockdown. So, I took Calida to the mountain, for her to receive the blessing."

"Oh… I'm sorry." Zander said.

"It's okay…" she smiled.

"Malia…?"

"Yeah?"

"If it was possible, would you to make peace with the Queen?" Zander asked.

"Of course. She was the only friend I had in my childhood before I met Aida… But she wouldn't accept it, so…" she said, turning to see a dark skinned girl walking to her angrily "Kyra? What's going on?"

"That would be my question! Ryker just got admitted to my clinic, Rogue. What kind of twisted torture did you pull on him?!"

"Okay, in all fairness, it wasn't me!" Malia rose her arms.

"You're the only balanced mage I know, Rogue!"

"Balanced mage? What do you mean by that?" Zander frowned, eyeing Kyra.

"It means that her fire is both Thallan and Tamra! And Ryker was in a pretty bad shape!"

"First, I was the one that trashed Ryker." Zander said "Second, it's not possible to be Thallan and Tamra at the same time!"

"It is for her! I've seen it. Her fire doesn't hurt. It only hurts when she wants it to hurt." Kyra shook her head "And it was you? Why?"

"Ryker trash talked Zander and he snapped." Malia explained "Kyra, I'd like to not have this conversation right here, so could you please…? I'll stop by the clinic. I promise."

"Fine." Kyra accepted "Do you want him to suffer?"

"Just a little bit." Malia winked "Fine." The doctor said "No painkillers."

"You're evil, woman…" Malia chuckled, before wrapping her arm around Zander's lower back.

"It's not possible." Zander said.

"What?"

"You. Being Thallan and Tamra at the same time." Zander shook his head.

"What does it mean to you Thallan and Tamra?"

"Tamra is the good side of magic. Thallan is the bad side. Let's take my example. Light, not dangerous and it doesn't hurt anyone is Tamra. But Inferno, my magic, is dangerous. It's Thallan." Zander explained "Every magic has two sides. So it's not possible for you to be both!"

"Zander, look at this." Malia said, stretching her hand, allowing a bird to land on it. Sparking up a flame on her hand, Zander saw how the bird was still moving, despise being in the middle of the flame "But if I think about hurting him…" she said, and the bird started to scream in agony, the flames that once caressed his body softly, now burning him to a crisp.

"How…?"

"It's blue fire." Malia explained "There is no such thing as blue fire, just like there is no just thing as a half noble. But nevertheless, Aida exists."

"Aida is product of necromancy. What's your excuse?"

"I don't know. I'd have to ask my parents that." Malia smiled "Calida's mother knew. But she never told me."

"I'm sorry." Zander spoke, caressing her hair, now loose "I love seeing you with loose hair. Have I ever told you that?"

"No. But it's nice to know… Thank you."

"Anytime. Do you want to go back to the house? I've got some stuff to do…" he said, looking up to the castle.

"You don't want me to go with you?"

"No. I'll be okay. But I do expect to see you once I return." He smiled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to him.

"Will you take long?" she asked looking up to his handsome face.

"I'll try not to. But I can't predict the future."

"I wouldn't want to. It's too dangerous…"

"You're right…" he leaned down to steal a kiss from her parted lips "I have to go."

"Hurry back." She whispered against his lips, receiving a reward kiss from the male.

.~.~.

Sky pulled her hair up in a ponytail, trying really hard not to get any grease on her hair. It was hard to wash off, and she didn't have the patience. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and continued her task: making sure that the piece of jewelry was enchanted perfectly. It was the perfect gift, but so far she had only been able to make it glow. It was hard, especially when she was dealing with leather; there was no gem incrusted. Gems and precious stones are usually very fast in enchanting, but pure leather wasn't.

And that was what she was finding out.

"What are you doing?" a voice asked, making her jump.

"Oh damn it!" she cursed, pulling her hands to the side in order not to ruin her work.

"Oh, sorry." The same voice said, and Sky turned around to find Diego standing at her door.

"It's okay…" she said, taking a deep breath "Do you need anything?"

"No. Just checking on you… We haven't been together in a while."

"Of course not." She said, turning back to the table "You're too busy making sure everyone is safe and sound and organizing thefts and stuff like that."

"Are you… Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"No." she lied "Now can you go? I'm busy."

"Sky…" he said, walking to her and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Diego, please. I'm enchanting. I need silence and peace." She told him "Now could you please…?"

"Sky. C'mon…"

"Diego, no." she refused when she felt his arms wrap around her waist "Go away. I have work to do."

"But I miss you…" he whispered at her ear, biting softly on her neck.

"Well, so I've been doing so for the last five days, but you were busy, so I didn't bother you. Now, can you go? I'm busy."

"Is that what this is about? Sky…"

"I'm enchanting. This is for Malia, so she deserves a nice thing. Please leave." She asked, wrapping her hands around the object.

"Skyyyy" he said, closing his eyes "I'm sorry for not being around… I'm their leader, I'm supposed to rule them."

"I'm your girlfriend, you were supposed to spend time with me!"

"I'm here now…" he told her.

"It doesn't work like this, Diego." She said, pulling away from both jewel and him "I can't be the girl you leave behind when you go on all those adventures. I don't want to. I don't want to be just a safe spot, a girl you have a good time with and then just leave because you have better things to do. And then come back again because you have nothing else to do. I can't afford that luxury, Diego. Not if I'm going to be loving you for the rest of my life. You have stability in me? I need to have stability in you. And right now, that's something I don't have. Now please. I'm busy."

"I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms around her once more and hid his face on her hair "I never knew you felt that way…"

"Well, you never asked." She bit back.

"How can I make up to you?"

"My question is, if I forgive you, what ensures me you won't do it again…?" she asked back, and felt him flinch.

"Sky… I… I will try my best to not do this again. But I can't know if you don't talk to me."

"How am I supposed to talk to you about those things if you're not around…?"

"Point… Taken." He sighed "I'm trying, okay? I've never felt like this before. I… What am I supposed to do with this… Feeling?"

"What feeling?" she asked, pulling away from her jewel and placing her hands on her lap.

"This feeling inside me. My gut twisting whenever I'm without you. My brain starts to think strange things, like what would you be doing, would you be okay, be safe? And when I'm around you… This ache… That I get. This ache of touching you, having you in my arms. Of wanting to kiss you, of wanting to rip the head of every guy that looks your way… I know the way they think. And I don't like it."

"What else?" she whispered.

"I can't explain it. It's like… Right now, just the thought of you being mad at me… It hurts, Sky. It feels like my heart is being ripped out of my chest. And the thoughts… The thoughts of losing you are just… Unbearable… How do you take care of this? Am I sick? Can I kick it away…?"

"No, you can't kick it away…" Sky giggled, turning to him "You're in love. You've fallen bad."

"But… How? I don't understand it."

"Just because you don't understand something, doesn't mean you won't feel it." She smiled.

"How do I deal with it?" he asked, looking into her deep blue eyes.

"You take my hand like this…" she said, taking his hand and getting up, bringing him with her "And you kiss me like this."

The kiss was short but soft, and filled with love "What else?" he asked.

"And now…" she said, smiling and laying down on her bed, bringing him with her "You show me what you feel…"

"Oh, I can do that…" he smirked.

"No." she shook her head, leaning up "You touch me slowly… Like it's the first time you've ever touched me, and I'm made of glass. And then you kiss me, slowly but sweet."

"Okay…" he whispered against her lips "Now what?"

"You take away my clothes, slowly and carefully, because they hide what you want to see, but they are precious, and you don't want to scare me away." She whispered, feeling her shirt being pushed over her head "And now you touch me… Like it's the first time you've ever seen me naked and you're just starting to find out how to make love…"

"Okay…" he nodded, his fingertips caressing the skin of her torso, watching as goosebumps rose in her skin "Sky…?"

"You tell me, what do you want to do?" she smiled.

"I wanna touch you. I wanna hold you, but I fear that you might be… Disappointed, if I take it slow with you…" he admitted, hiding his face on her neck.

"Diego, I love you. I could never feel disappointed of anything that you do." She smiled, and looked into his green eyes "Just do one thing for me…"

"Okay. Anything." He nodded.

"Don't look away from me… It makes me feel like you're ashamed of me…"

"Sky…" he whispered, kissing her softly "That's impossible. I love you… I love you too much."

"I love you too, Diego."

* * *

 **A/N: Ya'll cute af. Like, the best mothalovers in the world. :) Anyway, I hope you like it, if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	17. Chapter 17: A Queen's Heart Maze

**Someone give me a high five, 'cuz, honey, I'm on fire!**

 **What's up, it's your girl LoneeWolf, and I'm back for another chapter! So, yeah, it's dark af outside, but I'm pretty sure I just saw the green eyes of the stray cat that lives in my street outside my balcony. And that's freaky, bruh. Anyway, this is a 3k chapter that I'm bringing to ya, so you better review that lazy ass. Love you tho!**

 **So, what has happened in these last few chapters? We've been having Diego and Sky making up, Malia and Zander fluff time, and subtle Jaida hints so that can only mean one thing. And you guys know what it is. Shit is about to go down. For real.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Harley, boo, you got me blushing like a virgin! Not Madonna's virgin, 'cuz that girl ain't being virgin for a long time! And, for real, honey, how did you survive with no tech? I'd die. Did you at least had a pen and paper to draw? And besides, it's okay, I completely understand, don't worry! And I'm glad you are loving my story! That makes me really happy! Big kiss for you! :***

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thank you, I'm glad you liked it! :D**

 **\- STA25, oooh, thank you! I'm glad that this chapter enlightened you in Diego's feelings for Sky! Read ahead!**

 **\- Harley again! ahaha please do, but note that I post weekly chapters, meaning Sunday or Monday the update will come out!**

 **\- Puffy, I'm glad you liked it, and let's satisfy that curiosity, shall we? Read ahead!**

 **That's it for today's Review Answer Time. I love you all and,**

 **ON THE FIC!  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 17: A Queen's Heart Maze**

* * *

"Could we at least, try and overcome them?"

"Nope." Jace said, shaking his head "It would be too dangerous. The best strategy would be to wait out in the shadows for the shift change, because everyone knows that the night guards are always the weakest. But they do tell the best stories."

The couple was at the Silk, watching the Catalina talk with Vanesa about money. Aida laid stomach down and legs risen up to the air on the bed of the back room, while Jace sat on the floor on a pillow, his sword resting against his left shoulder. Twirling her fingers around with the silky fabric of the sheets, Aida looked over to Catalina to see if she was done with her talk, but it didn't appear so. Jace looked up to Vanesa and took the beverage she was offering, before turning to talk to Catalina once more.

"Why weaker? Usually the robberies happen at night. Shouldn't they put the strongest soldiers in the night shift?" Aida asked.

"There are two perspectives on this, Gorgeous. Sure, you have a point, but first, most wars happen in the daylight, so you'll need your best warrior in shape, not sleepy to fight off the invaders. Second, the diplomatic visitors always come by day, and what best way to show the other countries that we're tough than to put their toughest guards in the day shift? In that way, they're preventing the wars…"

"It makes sense, I guess, but then again, it's stupid…" Aida realized.

"No one ever said that mind-playing games were smart… And that is basically what every king and queen does in their palace." He told her, sighing "Catalina, is this gonna take long?"

"Why, do you have something else to do?" she asked, eyeing him.

"No, but-"

"Then shut up and let me work…" she glared, turning back to Vanesa.

"By the Old Kings, I can see why Malia took a liking on you." Jace snorted "Heartless bitch."

"Thank you for the compliment." She sang, continuing to write down on the papers in front of her.

"Jace, let it go. But wait, how do you know all of this? Of guarding and queenly stuff?" Aida asked, laying down on her back and staring at the ceiling.

"When I was at the Order, I was invited to serve in a King's castle for a few weeks while he hosted a grand party to find a husband for his daughter."

"Oh…" Aida let out "Where were you? In the day shift or in the night shift?"

"Both, actually." He smiled, looking up to her "First in the day shift, but when the King found out that his daughter was ignoring all of her suitors because of my incredible good looking face, he moved me to the night shift."

"What was her name?" Aida asked.

"Rowena. Rowena Scarlett." The blond shrugged.

"From the Scarlett family?" Aida sat up, looking at him "Why in the Old King's great white beard didn't you smash?"

"I didn't know you knew the Scarlett family…" Jace smiled.

"Oh, know them, steal from them… Same thing." Aida smirked, lying back down.

"You stole from the Scarlett family? How?" he asked, standing up to sit in the bed she was lying.

"Uh, Sky helped a lot. And Kris, a guy we knew back there, helped a lot. He was blond too. He kind of looked like you. Anyway, since Rowena had a thing for blonds, he helped me and Sky in. I heard they got all hot and bothered, but the last time I heard from him, he was helping this princess named Anna in her quest to save the girl's sister… Crazy story. Apparently, her sister is also a moon elf and can control the snow, ice and all that."

"Cool." Jace laughed "Did you at least meet Rowena?"

"I did… She gives the word crazy a whole new definition." Aida squirmed. Jace laughed and nodded "I agree…"

"Remind me again what we are doing here." Aida said, looking at the blond.

"Catalina said she needed our help getting something done, but when I suggested asking Malia, she yelled at me and told me she needed us. Not Malia."

"Why would she try to hide something from Malia? Weren't they like… Besties?"

"Yeah… But from what I could tell, it was about Diego. So… I'm guessing he went around and messed where he shouldn't."

"Jace, I've been thinking…"

"Aida, if this is about Sky and Diego, just stop…"

"I know, but… Just listen. For people like Adeshians, it's pretty much an insult to be bounded to one person for their entire lives. I wonder if Diego still thinks like that."

"Aida, Adeshians marry for opportunity. There is no such thing around here as marrying for love. Maybe Diego sees a different vision with Sky? I don't know, I'm not the guy to think like him. But he changed, Aida. I can guarantee you that much."

"I believe you. Hey, when do you think Zander is gonna give Malia the ring?" she asked, twirling with the tip of her braid "I bet he's gonna start some romantic environment and go all poetic, and probably hire a bard to sing a sappy love song and he's gonna get down on one knee and give her the most sweet heart fluttering speech and show her the ring, only to put in on her finger with a gentleness worthy of a Lord."

"Wow. You sure got it all figured out…" Jace rose an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah." She said, sitting up "Now you know where to work from."

"What?!" he asked.

"Okay, I'm ready." Catalina said, standing up and putting a letter inside an envelope "Take this letter and this bag of gold to the outskirts of town. Outside the walls. It's a two day trip. All the way to the south, you will find a village near an oasis. Small village, twenty people top. Look for a woman named Lani. Give this to her and come back right after. No stops, and if she offers you a drink, refuse and get back here. If you really must, go ask the village's chief for shelter and water. But do NOT contact that woman again. Understand?"

"I do, but just tell me why you can't send Malia." Aida asked.

"Because Malia can't meet that woman. Easy as that. That woman's existence is a secret and shall remain as such. Understood?" Catalina asked.

"Understood." Jace nodded "We'll be back in two days."

"Good luck." Vanesa smiled at them before turning once more to the papers in front of her.

"By the Old Kings, what is up with Catalina? Almost as if this Lani woman could destroy the world…" Aida shook her head, grabbing her bag and taking off to the horizon, with Jace right behind her.

.~.~.

Zander closed in the palace's gates and sighed. He was ready going to do this. Despise what everyone had said to him (everyone being Tillie and Diego when he reached out for him to ask for advice on the strong willed woman) he was ready going to do this. He was ready as he could ever be. The fire that shove on his eyes was his own, but fueled with determination and power. And the talk he gave himself before actually coming here. He was sure Kyra thought he was weird. Or just downright crazy. Zander, you're getting away from the topic. Okay, I'm back. He was really going to do this. He was going to con-

"Halt. No one is allowed to enter the palace." A guard stopped him.

"I request an urgent meeting with Queen Calida. It's very important."

"Not possible. Queen Calida has asked for solitude." He replied, his voice cold as winter, his body language showing off manliness and coldness at every move.

"Please. Tell her this is about… Rogue! I have intel on her. It might help find out her permanent residence."

"We already know her permanent residence. But the Eagles' territory is protected by the Queen, so there is nothing we can do." He replied, crossing his arms.

"Oh… Well, then tell her I have a message from Kyra. That the soldier you sent there is already feeling a lot better, but Kyra thinks that he might have a serious infection." Zander tried.

"Oh my, is Curtis okay?" the guard asked, placing one hand over his mouth and the other waving like a fan "Oh, he's such a sweet guy and he bakes the finest cakes of this land. Oh, what a loss it would be!"

"Okay…" Zander said, while watching the cold and manly façade fall apart into a very feminine personality "Yeah, he's fine, Kyra just wants to make sure it's nothing too bad."

"Oh, thank Eanna." The guard said, placing one hand over his own chest and the other on Zander's shoulder "I feared the worst. You wanted to talk to the Queen? Oh, go right in. And tell them that I allowed you to pass."

"Thank you!" Zander smiled, before shaking his head at the view of the feminine man protecting the gates "That was something I wasn't expecting at all."

Zander crossed the fancy hallways with little interest in what he was seeing. Sure, the view was beautiful, with the crystal vases casting rainbows to the walls of the building when the sun shined to them. With the delicate flowers (he guessed made of some kind of easily bended alloy, painted with the brightest colors). With the decorative tapestries that hanged from the ceiling and told a story while he walked. With the ornaments, rare items, vases, sculptured tables and mirrors framed with the most intricate designs and patterns to appeal to the eye.

But he cared for none of it, for his thoughts were filled with a certain bronze haired girl. With her smile, that lightened up his world whenever it popped up. With the cute wrinkle her nose would do when she laughed too hard at something. With the snorty sound she would do when she was asleep. With her carefully brushed locks, in which he loved to bury his fingers in when he kissed her. With her eyes as deep as the horizon, but as pale and bright as crystal. With her body, tangled up with his on that night of passion that they shared.

"Do I know you?"

"Huh?" Zander let out, looking up to see Queen Calida sitting on her throne, looking down at him.

"I repeat, do I know you? And if not, what is it that you do here?" she asked, frowning.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," Zander took a knee on the floor, and bowed "For I was caught by surprise by your beauty. There have been rumors, My Lady, but the real vision is too much to deal with."

"Hum…" she said, standing up, clearly pleased with Zander's words "Get up, and introduce yourself."

"My name is Alexander Theodin Morthil, but my friends call me Zander, Your Highness. I am nothing but son of a Lord from Ildis, but nothing compared to Your Magnificence."

"Ildis is very pretty this time of year. Zander, if I may call you like this, what is it that you desire? And please, tell me is something more than serving as an errand boy for Kyra."

"It is, I'm afraid, Your Glorious. But I fear that you may not like the subject." Zander said, bowing once more.

"Oh, just speak it out. I'm used to bad news. Is this about the rip-off that the merchants are? Not my fault."

"I wish it was that simple…"

"Well then, what is it? You're scaring me."

"Forgive me… This is about the criminal that has been hunting you since your young years." He said, taking a deep breath.

"Rogue?" she asked, frowning "What about her? I expect her not to come back after the good lesson I taught her this time."

"My Lady, is nothing of such. I'm the one requesting for this hearing, she doesn't even know that I'm here." Zander explained "Your Highness, if it's not too much to ask, could you please try and make amends with her?"

"What?!" Queen Calida asked, outraged.

"It pains her heart to see the relationship that lasts over a lifetime destroyed by a moment that she believes with all of her heart that she did the right thing!" Zander tried "Please, I know that you can find in your gemstone heart the will to-"

"No! I will never forgive that _whore_ for betraying me and stabbing me in the back all those years ago! It would have been better if she told me what she had done, but no! I had to find out my by mother, many years later, when she was at death's doors! I refuse to forgive her."

"She was acting under your mother's orders!" Zander yelled "How could you blame her?! It was your mother that told her to do this!"

"Rogue was always the queen of her own nose! I find quite hard to believe that she couldn't dodge an order from my mother, if that so is the case!"

"Your Highness, please. Forgive Rogue. She took your future in her best intentions. She really did try to protect you. Isn't it true that we go blind for the ones we love?"

"Yes. And blind was I with Roman. I loved him with all my young heart… But Rogue took him away from me. Forever. I will never forgive her for such."

"Even though she tried her hardest to make sure he'll be alright and perfectly safe after he left?"

"Excuse me?"

"She kept a close eye on him. She helped him throughout several issues in his life. He always thought of her as his guardian angel. He's wedded now, your Majesty. To a fine working woman. He has a child, a beautiful baby girl, to which he named Calida, in your memory. He never stopped loving you, My Lady. But he has moved on. And he asked Rogue to deliver the message to you."

"How could I forgive her? And you come and tell me he's wedded. You just keep breaking my heart, Zander." She sighed "Why? Why you must subject me to such torture?"

"Because, Your Magnificence, you too need to move on, and realize that Rogue has always taken care of you. Even when you proclaim to despise her the most."

"Why must you care about that traitor? Am I not the Queen?! Then I declare that you glorify me, not her! Care for me, love me like all of my people does! She is nothing next to me, Alexander! Why must you always bow to her desire? Even now, here you are, talking to me about her feelings, protecting her from me! Why?"

"Because I love her!" Zander exclaimed "I love her, Queen Calida, like I've never loved anyone before. Maybe this is my fire talking, because he found its mate, but I love her with all of my heart!"

"Is that why you're planning on giving her that ring?" she asked.

"How do you know?"

"Zander, she's an Adeshian woman. We don't believe in monogamy. She will break your heart when she finds another suitable husband and she will leave you to death."

"I don't mind. As long as I'm able to hold, even if for just a mere second, her heart in my hands. I don't mind dying out of heartthrob; I think dying for love is the best way of passing. And even if she finds another man, I will settle with saying that, even for just one second, I was able to call her mine." He smiled.

"You…" Queen Calida realized "You really love her. Even when you know she will leave you?"

"Loving is learning how to let go, my Queen. If you truly loved this… Roman, you'd know that he's happy with his wife and child, and you'd know better than to try and keep him for yourself. You'd let go of him, knowing that your love is no longer needed in his life, but your memory is precious to him. So precious that he named his only child after you."

"I… I… You're right… Oh, you're so right! I've been so blind all of this time… Oh and Rogue… She has suffered so much through this… She's the real victim. I have to apologize to her. Zander, could you please get her to come here? I must give her my apologies. And to you, higher savior, my blessing."

"Your blessing, My Lady?"

"Yes. I am the only family Rogue has left. I give you my blessing to ask her hand in marriage."

"Thank you, Your Highness. You have filled my heart with joy."

"And you have filled mine with forgiveness. Thank you, Zander."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

* * *

 **A/N: I wonder who is Lani and what are Aida and Jace going to find out in the village... *evil smirk* I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	18. Chapter 18: Lani & Cerys

**Hey, y'all! How ya doing?**

 **First of all, I would like to say the reason why I didn't post this on Sunday, like I was supposed to. The website wasn't showing the reviews added to the story, so there was no way I could see them, so there was no way I could do a Review Answer Time. Sure, I could post the chapter without it, but it's not the same thing. I like to feel and have this connection with you guys, and I ain't giving it up over keeping in schedule. No.**

 **That being said, last chapter was a hell of chapter! The Queen getting all soft and over a grudge from a thousand years ago! And we got to see some sort of Xover, one that ZaliaLover noticed, and gurl, thank you. Really. Anway, today... We gon' be mind fucked again! Well, you, cuz I already know what's gonna happen... Anyway, remember the job that Catalina sent Aida and Jace? Let's see what that's all about shall we? And I wanna know what you think.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes, Queens do need to know how to forgive. A big chapter to take your mind off the bad things that have happened lately! I hope everything gets better, honey...**

 **\- ZaliaLover! YES! Yes, that was a Frozen reference! Thank you! You ma girl, are alright.**

 **\- humanoid, it's okay, I wanted to make a 'frenemy' out of Calida :)**

 **\- Harley, thank you! I'm glad you liked my other Ascension story! And thank you for your praise :)**

 **\- STA25, thank you! Now with your blessing, I can marry them xD. And hun, you gotta tell me what 'STA25' stands for! I love the nickname, but I kinda wished I knew what it meant. It sounds really good tho. :D**

 **\- Just Eleanor! Honey, yes, he's gonna propose, and you can freak out all you want! I'll freak out with you so that you don't feel weird. :D**

 **\- Penny! I was just about to post this when I went to the Review Page again and I saw yours, so I'm answering it now! Yes, they do grow too fast... :D**

 **That is it for the reviews, I hope you all like this new chapter. If you don't let me know, and please, freak out all you want when you read this. :D**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 18: Lani & Cerys**

* * *

"Tillie, can I talk to you?"

Seena pushed the door open to find Tillie walking around the kitchen, dropping ingredients into a large cauldron, humming softly to herself while doing so. Smiling and walking inside, closing the door and sitting on the table, Seena waited. Tillie continued her potion until she looked over her shoulder to see a mass of blond hair wiggling her legs on the table. Gasping and turning around, the dwarf smiled and put down her spoon, walking to the little Ileth and sitting next to her.

"Seena, love! What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you, if that is possible…"

"Of course, love! What is it?"

"It's about Malia and Zander. I fears that Zander acted behind her back and I doesn't want Malia to be hurt."

"Love, I know what Zander did. He did go to talk to Queen Calida like you suspect, but he did have a motive, and he actually fixed the situation. So, let him work it out, okay?"

"Okay."

"Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Aida and Jace… They went on a mission today, correct?

"Yes, love. Why?"

"Why didn't Catalina gave that mission to Malia? I doesn't understand."

"Me either. But I'm sure we'll get the answers we need when those two come back."

"Tillie?"

"Yeah?"

"How is Mr. Airdan? I know you communicate by letter all the time."

"He's okay, love. He's currently on a mission for Diego, so he can't talk much, but he's okay."

"Do you miss him?"

"Very much. I do love him after all." Tillie smiled "But sacrifices are required. And space is one of them."

"Tillie, why does Diego acts so weird around Sky?"

"Because he loves her. And he would do anything to be with her. He misses her when they are apart, and that causes him to be more protective of her when he's around her." Tillie explained, getting up and checking on the potion.

"What potion are you making?" Seena asked, peeking over the edge.

"A protection potion. Once it's ready and placed inside a container, it turns into a sort of crystal, and grants protection to the one wearing it."

"Ooh! Who are you giving it to?"

"Airdan." The dwarf said, her smile failing "His next mission requires him to be away for a month, and I'm making this to protect him."

"How does it work?"

"It works like a like charm amulet. But it's a lot more powerful. While a charm works on pure luck, this protection is pure magic, and it creates an invisible barrier around the carrier. Said barrier will protect him from any kind of spell, curse or non-physical kind of magic attack towards him."

"Oh, that sounds so cool!"

"Thank you!" Tillie smiled brightly "Wanna learn more about protection spells?"

"YES!"

 **.~.~.**

"By the Old King's hairy ass, it's so hot in here!" Aida complained, wrapping her braid in a bun on top of her head "Can't we just go butt naked there and then dress up?"

"Well, I certainly wouldn't mind the vision" Jace smirked "But no. There are kids there, Aida. You don't want to scar them for life, do you? Besides, that smoking hot rogue noble body is for my eyes only."

Aida blushed and looked in front. The scorching lands of sand spread in front of them, the air wavy and blazing in their skin. It had been almost a day since they left, and after a night of sleeping in the desert, tangled within each other to keep their body temperatures high, the two walked in the hope of seeing the so called oasis. And the village near it. Frowning, Jace saw a palm tree rise in the horizon, or over the dune they were currently climbing. Calling Aida's attention on that matter, the blond smiled.

"This is it!" Jace exclaimed "That's the village. Oh, I sure need a bath."

"You sure do. But let's keep walking, because I have the feeling that it will take us at least four hours to get to the village." Aida said, wiping the sweat of her forehead.

They continued to walk in the direction of the palm tree, each step they took was a movement closer to the final stand; they were getting closer to reach the final stage of their mission. The sweat ran down their faces, the water the brought with themselves wasn't enough to support the heat wave overpowering them. Reaching the top of the dune, Aida sighed and looked down, gasping. What she saw was something… Beautiful, and she grabbed Jace's arm and pointed down.

Below them spread a large mass of water, a lake big enough to support a village, and surrounding it was a vast glomeration of palm trees, bushes, and all kinds of vegetation. It was extraordinary how such blazing desert could uphold such green, such free nature, such life in an empty world of sand. The palm trees formed a path to the lake, and in the outskirts of the lake rose a small village. A village with simple houses, with rooftops made of straw and the bodies of red clay, hardened with the high temperatures of the desert. As Aida ran down the dune and laughed while doing so, Jace laughed and walked behind her.

"Jace, look! It's so pretty!" Aida exclaimed, looking around to see the lively atmosphere that the place let out, hearing th soft laughs and the cries of the children running around.

The women carried around in their arms fruits and vegetables, freshly cultivated on the lake's shore. The men laughed healthily, and the elders gathered the children around, telling them stories about the foreign future and glorious past. The rest walked around, whether helping their mothers or playing games with each other, living out to the fullest their childhood. One of the children came to Jace and Aida and offered them a bouquet of pink lilies, before giggling and running back to her mother.

"Oh my… This is… Heaven."

"What is she like? The woman that we have to deliver this?" Jace asked.

"According to the info Catalina gave us, she's a brunette with grey eyes. Nice girl, and most likely be smiling."

"Well… That's gonna be hard." Jace said, looking around to all the smiling faces.

"I got it." Aida smirked "Excuse me?"

"Yes?" an adult male asked back.

"We're looking for a woman. Her name is Lani." Jace said.

"Why, of course!" the male said, turning around and shouting "Lani! There are here people that want to talk to you!"

"Just a second!" a female voice exclaimed, and soon she was reaching the couple "Hi. Can I help you?"

Aida eyed the woman up and down. She was tall, skinny but healthy, with a softly tanned skin and modest looks. Her face was small, framed by her wavy dark chocolate locks that reached under her shoulders, her bangs just over her eyes, eyes that could stop anyone in their tracks: stormy grey eyes with a spark of green in them. Powerful but kind. Very kind. She wore simple clothing: a short sleeveless aqua blue top, a brown skirt with two metal bands on her left thigh, brown sandals and a metal collar with a chain necklace around her neck.

"Lani?" Aida asked.

"Yes."

"We were asked to give this to you." Jace said, giving her the letter and the bag of gold.

"Once more, Catalina sends the usual annual reward. You're not the usual guys. Don't you want a cup of water? Some food?"

"No, we're good." Jace said "We need to hurry back bec-"

"We would very much like that." Aida smirked.

"Follow me then." Lani smiled, walking to one of the houses.

"Aida, what are you doing?" Jace asked, grabbing her arm.

"I'm gonna find out who she is. Aren't you curious?" she asked back, winking.

"You had this planned, didn't you?"

"Of course." She said, walking after Lani and walking inside the house.

The woman was in the small kitchen pouring water inside three cups. There were a couple of wooden counters, a round wooden table with three chairs and flowers everywhere. In the vase on the table, hanging on the door they just walked in, in vases against the walls, and outside the windows, filling the air with a beautiful perfume. Setting the mugs down on the table, Lani quickly took a seat, motioning the couple to join her.

"So, Lani…" Aida started, sitting on the chair and looking around "This is a nice place you got here."

"Thank you. I'm sorry about the flowers, but Cerys loves them. It's hard to get rid of the bees though." Lani smiled.

"So, it's just you and Cerys here?" Jace asked.

"Yes. The village master doesn't usually approve, but since he knows about my situation and Cerys father isn't anywhere to be seen… He understands. Besides, he would do anything for her." Lani explained "I'm sorry for practically forcing you to join me, but it has been forever since I've heard news from Adeshia. How is everything? Does Catalina still own the Silk? Is Miguel already in the Queen's harem? And Vanesa? How is she?"

"Yes, yes and she's good. We don't really have that connection with her…" Aida said "Sorry for the bluntness, but why all the secrets? Why can't Catalina send anyone else and why didn't she want us to talk to you?"

"Catalina is a peacekeeper. And although she realizes they are necessary, she hates changes. I hope you don't mind me asking, but how is Diego?"

"He's okay. We left him with Sky. Ruling the Eagles and controlling all the flooding market in Adeshia. Why? How do you know him?" Jace asked.

"Well, he's…" Lina started, but didn't get a chance to finish.

A little girl entered the house running. She was short and tanned, like her mother. She couldn't be more than seven-years-old. She walked in the house, with her bare feet, her black shorts that reached her knee, her green side skirt, a belt holding a small dagger to her left hip and her one-shoulder long sleeved green shirt. Her huge smile made Lani sigh in happiness, the cheek dimples gaining depth, her long dark brown hair tied up in two braids. But what made Aida suck in a breath was her jade green eyes, so much looked alike with…

"Diego."

"No, my name is Cerys." She spoke, smiling up to them "Mommy, Thomas started a fight with me."

"What did you do, honey?" Lani asked, wrapping her arms around the girl's shoulders.

"I slapped him and pushed his face in the dirt." She whispered, making Aida laugh.

"Cerys, I don't want that behavior in my house!" Lani exclaimed "Now go and apologize to him."

"But mommy…"

"Now!" Lani affirmed, the little girl storming out of the house "Sorry you had to see that."

"Please tell me I'm wrong." Jace asked.

"What, darling?"

"Diego… Is he…" he tried. The woman sighed and answered:

"Her name is Cerys, which means born in a night of love. Unfortunately for me, what I thought it would be a life with that same love, wasn't. Catalina, when I told her, made me disappear. She took a horse and brought me here and told me to never leave. She said that she would give me a reward every year, on her birthday, to keep me in this village and away from the world. You are correct in your assumptions, Knight. She is indeed who you think she is."

"What is going on? Who is the kid?" Aida asked.

"Aida… That little girl… Is Diego's daughter."

"WHAT?!"

"Does he know that?"

"Diego? No, he doesn't know about Cerys…" Lani sighed, looking down at her hands "Catalina made sure of that. She made sure that he wouldn't know about me or Cerys. She said he couldn't have that… Weakness. And I understand that, to some point. I mean, he _is_ a leader of a cartel. I understand how a family could make him vulnerable to outside sources, and hurt my family…But my jealous heart can't help but want to be with him. To give my daughter a father."

"Oh, I'm gonna kill him." Aida growled.

"Aida, he doesn't know!"

"Still! What if Sky gets pregnant?! Is he gonna dump her and ship her to this village too?!"

"Excuse me… Sky?"

"Yes. My best friend. She and Diego… They have a thing."

"For how long?"

"A lot, actually. But they only got real… Three weeks ago?"

"More. Almost two months." Jace confirmed, looking over to Lani's angst look "Lani?"

"No, it's just… I'm sorry. I still care deeply for Diego… And hearing that he has another woman in his life… It's painful." She said, wiping her eyes "Forgive me."

"You have every right to be in pain, Lani." Jace smiled, taking one of her hands in his.

"Thank you… Hum…"

"Jace. And this is Aida." He smiled "Lani, is there anything we can do?"

"Yes, if you could. This might sound a selfish request, seeing that this… Sky is a friend of yours, but please… Could you tell Diego about Cerys? I just want him to know he has a child."

"Of course. We will, don't worry." Jace smiled, looking over to Aida.

"What he said. And when we're done…" Aida smirked "I'm gonna kick some serious Diego ass."

* * *

 **A/N: Holy crap, I actually did this. *evil smirk* BRING ON THE ANGRY TYPING! I know you're all pissed, but trust me, I did this for a reason. You just have to stick around to find out! I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	19. Chapter 19: Forgive Me

**Star Trek went online yesterday and I had to see it, so I forgot to post the chapter. :)**

 **Yo, what's up? How are you fine gentlemen and ladies doing today? I'm feeling classy af, as you probably noticed by now, despise me being wearing a pair of ratchet jeans and a hoodie that I just bought. That being said, we gon' get dirty in this chapter. Muahaha. I hope you're doing great, I'm doing great, despise some issues of my own, that doesn't matter though, 'cuz things are gonna get loud here! (Quite literally)**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, thank you, I'm glad you liked it!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, yes, yes, yes, yes and yes! This actually happened, bae! It will break something in this story, but it's gonna get worst. I'm so evil! Read ahead if you want to find out!**

 **\- STA25, I feel bad for Sky too, but something worse is going to happen. Let me just say this, you have a beautiful name, really! I love it :) And you're right, he keeps hurting her despise not wanting to. But he'll fix things, like he always does. Don't worry :)**

 **\- Harley, it's alright that you feel like your granny! I understand it! And you're right, Sky does have the worst of lucks. But think about this scenario. Diego is the high school player, and every girl knows what he does. He breaks their heart and throws them away, but the second he turns his game to you, gurl, you're gonna fall for him. It's scientifically proven. But let's see how Sky reacts, shall we? :) And I'm glad you liked it :D**

 **\- Penny, each time I read your name, I remember Big Bang Theory, and that's great! Yes, as you can see, I'm updating today (Monday) and the reason why I didn't post this yesterday was already said. Seriously, the second I saw Star Trek was out, I had to see it. Also, don't worry! Take your time to digest the information!**

 **\- humanoid, I'M GLAD YOU LIKED IT! ahahah, now 4 real, read ahead!**

 **YOU GUYS ARE THE CUTEST AND THE BEST! And I got nothing else to say except,**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Forgive Me Like I Have Forgiven You**

* * *

"You did what?!" Malia asked, standing up.

"Look, I know you're probably angry at me, but I need you to hear-" Zander tried, but Malia interrupted him.

"Probably?! Alexander Theodin Morthil, you think I'm probably angry at you?! How did it made sense, in that sharp mind of yours that I would be okay with you go talk to the fucking Queen?!"

"Malia, I know that you're sad about this whole situation. You told me that! And I thought that I could fix it. And I did fix it. Malia, she wants to see you. She wants to apologize!"

"That woman has tortured me in every chance she gets! And you think it's okay to go and talk to her? In my behalf? Zander, I have a voice. I can talk for myself. I'm not any of those petty women that you'd find roaming around in the streets of Ildis! How could you even think that?!"

"I'm not saying you're weak‼ You're one of the strongest women I know. I'm just saying that…"

"That what?!" She yelled.

"That you should stop being a BITCH and fucking realize that I'm only trying to help‼" he snapped, growling "The big heartthrob of Adeshia isn't used to have people taking care of her, I get it, but that doesn't mean you have to be such a bitch when your own boyfriend is trying to do something for you‼"

"Zander…" Malia whispered, shocked by his sudden outburst.

"I'm trying here, Malia. And it's hard when I know that you'll eventually leave me. I'm an emotional mage and that only means that I will get in the way of your future. But that didn't stop me from buying you a ring and make plans for us, even when I know that I'll probably going to ruin them. All I'm trying to do is help. Haven't you realized yet? You tried to kill me, I ended up making out with you on a boat. You had no control of your fire, I helped. I didn't know you and I ended up falling for you. We were fighting, we ended up kissing. You told me you missed Calida, I made her miss you. I'd do anything that you ask me to do, Malia. Because I love you."

"Zander… I… You've been keeping tabs?"

"Like Tillie once told me, loving is learning how to let go. And I wanna remember every moment I spent with you when you finally leave."

"Leave?"

"Malia, you're a free spirit. You can't be chained to earth by another. And I won't let myself do that. I love you too much to let you suffer." He smiled at her, but gasped when she slapped him.

"That was the stupidest thing you've ever said." She said "Have you been walking around with your eyes closed? Have you not realized that I would do everything for you as well? And have you not realized that, despise the words you're speaking, you will never truly let me go?"

"Why?" he asked, closing his eyes.

"Because in order to let go, both sides have to untie the bows. And that's a little hard to do when my side is a knot that you can't cut through. Your fire has claimed me, Zander? Well, my fire has claimed you. What are you going to do about that?"

"Most likely kiss you and take you to my bed. In the next few seconds." He smirked, pulling her to himself.

"Those few seconds are gone, love." She whispered, allowing Zander to pick her up, wrap her legs around his waist and kiss her.

 **.~.~.**

"That was hot."

"You think?" Zander asked, out of breath.

The two were lying in Zander's bed, completely naked, with only a bedsheet to keep them decent. Both lying on their backs, Zander had his arms behind his head and Malia had one over her forehead and the other holding up the sheet. They were both out of breath and, judging by the glow in their eyes, they were satisfied too. In all senses of the word. One of Zander's arms moved to get Malia, but gave up almost immediately, the strength failing him. Giggling at his failed attempt, the girl blew her bangs away from her eyes.

"By the Old Kings, makeup sex with you is the best." Malia laughed.

"That was makeup sex? I thought we were having hardcore sex."

"Baby, with us all sex is hardcore sex. But I still want to know what you did down there."

"Secrets of a pro. You're never going to find out." He smirked.

"Are you sure?" she raised one eyebrow.

"Not anymore." He laughed.

"Hey, what was that with the ring?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot." He said, reaching for his pants and pulling the box out of his pocket "This is the ring."

"Zander…" Malia whispered, opening the box "It's beautiful… But what does it mean?"

"Calida gave me her blessing to marry you. But it means whatever you want it to mean. Really. If you want awesome sex with no attachments, then the ring means awesome sex with no attachments."

"Well… I kinda like the idea of having you belonging to me…" she smiled "So… I want it to mean what an engagement ring usually means. That you're mine and I'm yours."

"Do you want me to get down on one knee? Because I'm kind of out of breath after this session."

"No." she smiled "Just say the words."

"Then I'm not going to ask." He said, pushing himself up and resting on his hands and knees over Malia "Marry me."

"That's not a question."

"I told you I wasn't going to ask."

"Okay. I will marry you, _Alexander_."

"I love you, Malia." he leaned down to kiss her.

"I love you too, Zander." She smiled, feeling him push the ring down her finger.

Malia and Zander stood at the palace's doors facing the guard, while the latter stared at them wide-eyed. The bandit stood in front of him, with one brow raised, arms crossed and smirk plastered on her face and was asking for permission to enter in the palace! And on top of it all, like a banana to a monkey, the Queen had given orders to allow said bandit to enter! What had the world fallen on?! But as Malia was about to call out for Calida, the guard allowed the couple to enter, still baffled about the whole situation.

But nevertheless, the couple entered the palace's gates with raised heads and linked hands. They walked through the front doors, crossed many hallways, and Malia had to hold back the will to laugh out loud at the look the guards were giving her. Zander, they were already used, he had been there the day before to talk to the Queen, but it was the first time that the bandit crossed the emptiness of the palace with no guards escorting her or with her hands locked behind her back.

"Rogue…" a voice called, that clearly belonged to the Queen.

"Calida." The girl said, turning around to see the dark haired woman with a soft smile on her face.

"How are you? Feeling better?" the queen came closer to the couple, holding in her hands a scroll.

"Yeah, actually. Look, Calida…"

"No. Please, love, let me speak first. I'm sorry." The brunette spoke "I'm sorry for all the pain I caused to your soul, for all the scars I left in your body, for all the monstrous things I've done to you… No one deserves to be through such an awful thing."

"I understand, Calida. You were in pain. I'm sorry too, for not telling you the truth." Malia smiled, and let go of Zander's hand to pull the Queen in a tight hug.

"Thank you so much, love. It means so much to me that you are willing to forgive what I've done to you." Calida whispered.

Breaking the contact, the queen smiled and pushed the scroll in Zander's hands. "What is this?" he asked.

"Something I've had my servants look for. Something that I want you to have… Malia."

"Calida…" the girl whispered "What is it?"

"A letter. A letter that my mother received in a fateful day. It was inside of a basket made of straw. And holding it with really tiny fists was you. The letter belongs to your parents, Malia. Inside is the explanation why they left you here, when you had few years of life."

"She knew my parents? Nayana, your mother, knew them?"

"By the contents of the message, it seems that she only knew one of them: your mother. If you want to read the letter, then please… Be my guess."

"Okay…" She said, and began to read.

 _Dear Nayana,_

 _This is so hard. Right now, I'm inside this tent, that a few travelers allowed us to rest in... Matt is outside, trying to catch dinner, trying being the keyword. I swear, if I wasn't in that man's life, he would have lost it a long time ago._

 _Anyway, I'm writing this for a motive. We're being chased, Nay. My little girl is three months old and she already demonstrated signs of magic in her. Her magic is powerful, Nay, I can feel it. And I'm scared, because bad men are after her. I knew I made a mistake in allowing her to live, but I love her so much that I can't allow her to get hurt. And the only way she can possibly get hurt is by remaining with us. These men... They're not going to stop until she's dead, Nay. That, or they're going to strip her of her powers. And you know what happens to a person that is born with magic and then gets stripped of their powers... They die. And my baby girl ain't dying, Nay._

 _So, I'm begging you... Love her like we do. Help her grow up. Remind her of her ancestors. Teach her our ways. And most importantly... Keep her safe. Because if I see my baby girl rise to heaven in a perfectly young age, I will get up on my grave and wrap my bony fingers around your throat._

 _Thank you for helping this old friend of yours. It means the world, and you know it._

 _Forever the angel you found in the desert,_

 _Kai._

"She… I had this with me when you found me?" Malia asked.

"Yes. That's what my mother told me…"

"Where can I find them? Or any memory of them?"

"There's a village in the bottom of Valond Mountain. All the way down the gorge. You might have a hard time reaching there. There's a cabin, where an old lady lives. Her name is Litsa. She will tell you everything that you wish to know about your parents."

"Really?"

"Yes. You should leave now. I'll ask my guard to tell the others that you two have gone to meet your parents, Malia." Calida smiled.

"Thank you, Calida… Thank you so much…" Malia smiled, hugging the woman.

"Of course love. Thank you for helping Roman throughout his life." The brunette smiled.

"It was the least I could do after I casted him out of Adeshia…" the bronze haired girl said, breaking the hug "Zander? Would you come with me?"

"To meet the woman that may know all about your parents? Of course." He smiled.

"Go on." The Queen motioned and turned around, leaving.

The two went back to the house to pack things, stopping to let Tillie and Seena know where they were going. Zander told them they might take a while, but they would be okay. After gathering all of their stuff, they took off in the direction of the city riding the horses the Queen provided them, in order to take the ship back to Valond, where they would proceed to walk to the mountain, in order to meet said lady that held the answers about her parents. During the galloping, Zander reached out one hand to grab Malia, and the girl immediately turned to him.

"Yes? Is everything okay?" she frowned.

"Yeah. I was just wondering… After Valond… Would you be interested in taking a quick trip to Ildis? I would like to let my parents know that the black sheep of the family is getting married."

"And scare the crap out of your father by letting him know you're marrying the young thief that once tried to kill him? I would love to, Zander…"

"Thank you…" he smiled.

* * *

 **A/N: Oh, damn, Zalia went on fire and hot! I don't know what that means, either, so ingore it :D God damn, my cough is getting worse. I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	20. Chapter 20: Really, Diego?

**College is busting my portuguese ass, seriously...**

 **Hi there, people! How are you?**

 **So, as my previous statement said, college is busting me up so bad that I barely have the notion of time passing by me. And that's messed up, honey. Anyway, before I start the real intro, lemme break this down real quick. I am tired AF. I got home super late, I had to do my English homework (because it's not my native language) and copy my French notes, asides of making dinner, getting everything ready, taking a shower because today rain was the worst, and I just HAD to get soaked, but fuck it!  
** **Because this is a special time that I share with you guys, and it's gonna happen no matter what.**

 **That being said...**

 **Quick rewind, remember when I said, like two chapters ago that shit was gonna get worse? Well... If my nickname around this places isn't Bitch/Karma, then I don't know what the fuck am I doing here. *evil smirk* Don't worry it's nothing _too_ bad. But I never said anything about not crushing some hearts in the middle... Geez, I should really change my name to Karma... Anyway,**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- humanoid, trust me that you do not want to miss any of that! And said will come soon, I promise :) (and I never break my promises);**

 **\- Penny, I know, right? A lot more fluff and cuteness is to come, just stick around and find out :D**

 **\- STA25, I'm glad you liked it :D And I agree with you...**

 **\- Harley, don't worry, I completely understand. And here is the next chapter! Read ahead!**

 **ALSO**

 **\- heycatarina1996, it's a pleasure to meet you. If you want, I can give you some advice in how to write dialogues :) just hit me up, okay? :)**

 **I hope you're all feeling like rays and sunshine 'cuz I don't, but fuck every shit around us and let's get this going.**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Really, Diego?**

* * *

"Where's Diego?!" Aida yelled, kicking the front door open.

"Not here." Tillie carefully said, looking up from her seat in the couch next to a wide-eyed Seena "But I have the feeling he better be running like a Kaeldor tiger right now."

"You're right." She threatened, pulling her daggers from her hilt "Any idea when he'll be back? Because he's about to face a very angry noble."

"Oh, boy…" Tillie got up "What happened?"

"Something very bad, Til. You do not want to be a part of it, trust me." Jace said "Where are Malia and Zander?"

"They left. Hum, right, Malia told Zander that she would like to make up with Calida, and he, being the little boy in love that he is, did what she said. He fixed things between Malia and Calida and apparently, the Queen knew about her parents. So, she told Malia where to go to find more about them. And they left early this afternoon. You guys didn't encountered them?"

"No." Aida shook her head "But doesn't matter. And Sky?"

"I have no idea of where she may be. Last I've heard of her, she was trying to enchant Malia's bracelet, but it was a slow process. I think she went out or something. Why?"

"Good. She doesn't need to be around when that fucker comes back." Aida growled, and Jace placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Aida… Should I go and hide? I is scared of the look in your eyes…" the little Lith said.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Seena, but this is very bad. Go outside to play, and only come back when one of us comes for you. Okay?"

"Okay…" the girl said, getting up and walking out the door.

"Now I have no problems in going full noble mode." Aida smirked "Now that Seena is not here for me to scare the crap out of her."

"Exactly what happened?" Tillie asked, frowning.

"Trust me, Til, you do not want to know. Because if you do..." Jace sighed "You'd be lining up to kick his ass as well."

"Is this about Sky?" Tillie asked.

"In a way..." Jace observed. The door opened to reveal the man they all had been waiting for accompanied with another woman: Diego and Catalina.

"Diego, you better start running!" Aida shouted, twirling on of her daggers in her hand so that the blade was against her forearm and launched herself at him.

"What the fuck?!" the male let out and blocked the blade with his bare hand, pushing it away and kicking Aida against Jace.

"I hope you're ready to admit your sins, because in a few minutes, you'll be knocking on heaven's doors!" she yelled and tried to hit him again.

"Aida, what is going on here?! What the fuck did I do this time?!" he shouted, being held back by Catalina, that was glaring at the half noble.

"I'm talking about Lani! I'm talking about the trash that you really are!"

"Lani...?" Diego frowned, scratching the back of his head "That was forever ago. Almost twelve years. How do you know about her? And most importantly, what about her?"

"You sick bastard... Then what about Cerys?! Did you forget about her too?!" Aida shouted, but Catalina stepped in between them and placed a hand on Diego's chest.

"Aida, not another word!" the brunette exclaimed.

"What is she talking about, Catalina?" Diego asked "Who is Cerys?"

"Cerys is..." Jace started, but Catalina only yelled out for him to shut up.

"Lina..." Diego called, placing a hand over hers "What are you not telling me?"

"Diego, Lani is past! She left you, did she not?" the brunette questioned "So what is the point in remembering her?"

"She didn't leave him, you told her to leave!" Jace exclaimed.

"What?" Diego let out "Lina, what are they talking about? You told me she was tired and didn't want anything to do with me! Did you lie?"

"Okay, maybe I did, but it was for a good cause, Diego. You couldn't be with her."

"Why the fuck not?!" he asked "You knew what I felt about her! And you told her... To leave?"

"Diego, believe me when I say this, you don't want to walk down that road." Catalina warned.

"Who is Cerys? And what about Lani?" he asked.

"Diego..." Catalina begged, but Aida said:

"Cerys is your daughter, Diego. And Lani is her mother."

"What...?" he whispered, his eyes wide open.

"You heard her." Jace said "The reason why Catalina took Lani away from you was because she was pregnant with your baby girl."

"My... Baby girl?" he asked, his breathing quickening.

"Yes." Aida confirmed.

"Catalina, is this true?" he asked, closing his eyes.

"Diego..." she tried, but he turned to her and yelled "IS IT?!"

"Yes!" she confirmed "You were just a boy back there, Diego, there is no way you could raise a child! You were walking to be the leader of a cartel, you insolent child! And that brat was going to ruin everything! Because of you, Adeshia is known all around Arunia! Now imagine the picture with a kid! You'd be a low life thief who's high moment of the day is a gold coin that fell of a merchant's pocket!"

"A kid is everything I've ever wanted in my entire life, Catalina! And you, of all people, should know that!" he shouted, glaring at her "And now you're telling me that I could've had that with Lani... A woman that I knew for sure that I loved..."

"Diego..." Catalina tried, but her next words were muffled by the sound of glass shattering.

Everyone turned in the direction of the sound and gasped. Standing in front of the back door with a shocked expression and her hands holding the now shattered bowl was Sky. The raven haired male immediately tried to speak, but he couldn't. Words wouldn't leave his lips, and even if he wanted to, her pained look took the words away from his mouth.

"Sky..." Aida let out, gulping.

"Is it true?" she asked, her voice shaking with emotion.

"Sky..." he tried, but she only repeated herself, this time louder:

"IS IT TRUE?!"

"Yes!" Catalina answered "There's no beating around the bush, Diego. Yes, Sky, it's true. He has a daughter with another woman."

"Catalina!" the man shouted, walking to Sky and trying to reach out for her "Sky..."

"What?" she bit back.

"How much of it did you hear?" he asked, placing a hand on her cheek.

"Enough to know you shouldn't be touching _me_ like that." she spat, pushing his hand away.

"Then that means you also heard that I didn't know about this! Sky, just like you, I didn't even know that Cerys existed!" he tried to explain, but every time he tried to touch her, she would flinch.

"I also heard that. And my only question is... What the hell are you still doing here?" she asked, looking up to him with ice cold eyes.

"What are you talking about, woman?" Diego asked.

"You have a daughter, Diego. What are you still doing here? All you ever wanted was a family. And this... Lani woman gave that to you. What are you still doing here?" she asked again.

"Sky... But I..." he tried.

"Leave, Diego. Leave and go to your family. Leave, and don't look back. Leave, and don't you ever come back." she declared, walking past him and out of the door, shutting it closed with a loud bang.

"SKY!"

 **.~.~.**

Diego was entering the barrier of vegetation that protected the village from the rest of the desert. His head was down and his heart was aching, but he had to do this. It was the righteous thing to do, despise every single cell of his being screaming at him to go back, to get the woman he loves, to wrap his arms around her and kiss the floor she walks until she forgives him. But none of his words would reach her heart. There was something in her eyes when she looked at him. Pain, pure and raw. Regret, maybe? But definitely angst.

But he brushed it off, because he couldn't think about her now. He had a child with another woman, and he was going to step up and be a man about it. Looking around the playing children, he immediately saw her. Her long hair, trailing behind her when she ran around with her friends. Her thin form that reminded him of Lani, the woman brought back from deep in his memories. But without a doubt, she had his eyes.

He saw the little girl part from her friends to meet an elder man, who smiled down to her and caressed her brown locks before kneeling to her level and whispering a few words to her. The girl nodded at his words, her eyes casting to the ground, but hearing her words nevertheless. After a few moments, the elder rose to a standing position and told her to go, and the little girl ran in the opposite direction of her friends. She was going home, he thought, and followed her. A small wooden house framed by the vegetation rose in the end of the road, with flowers ornamenting every corner of it and light shining directly onto the ceiling.

"Mommy, I'm home!" the little girl yelled out, entering the house "I'm hungry! Is lunch ready?"

"Cerys, go wash your hands before you contaminate the food! What have you been doing, rolling around in mud like a piggy?" Lani asked, frowning at her child's appearance.

"Something like that, yeah…" she smiled, running upstairs to clean up. Diego walked inside the house and watched her disappear to the upstairs of the house.

"Diego…?" a voice called from behind him "Is that really you?"

"Lani…" he whispered, turning around to see the woman he had been looking for.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, stepping closer to him.

"You and I have a child, Lani. I'm here to fulfil my duty as a father." He declared, looking over to where Cerys had disappeared once more.

"Diego… I'm happy but… What about Sky…?"

"She… She was the one that told me to come in the first place."

* * *

 **A/N: I warned you. DON'T WORRY, because it's me writing this, they will be together soon enough. I just have to gain some time to screw around with the keyboard and everything is going peachy! I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	21. Chapter 21: Background History

**I swear I never ran faster in my life than I did today just to get here to post this.**

 **Brief explanation, I just moved out of my old house and the WiFi was only installed today, and I don't have enough mobile data to post this... That being said...  
Y** **o, how are all of those beautiful minds working? Mine is about to break because my teacher gave me a paper today and guess what the delivery date is? Tomorrow. To-fucking-morrow! What the fuck?! But luckily is a group work, so that means if I'm gonna be fucked in the butthole, someone is going down with me. It's already done though, so I don't know why I'm complaining...**

 **Lets talk about last chapter, shall we? What is up with you people and picking on Diego? I am currently having English Grammar as one of my main classes, and I learnt the difference between 'I love' and 'I loveD'. Diego doesn't love Lani anymore, people! The only person that seemed to get that was humanoid, and boo, lots of love. That being said, don't rage on him... I will break down everything and will explain everything. From Diego's point of view. Pinky promise. Scout's promise. Never been a scouts girl, but fuck it.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thank you for your words... He really is :) And I think you're gonna like this one :)**

 **\- STA25, baby, promise that, by the end of the next... two chapters? you will not think that way. But for now, let's forget that rage with a little bit of background history...**

 **\- Harley, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry! But I promise things will work out! And weirdly, you sound hot when ur mad (this was probably very inappropriate, but f it u know I lub u) and there are no other kids. Lani is the only bitch case. :) pwease forgive me... :(**

 **\- humanoid, YES! Thank you! Technically, Aida is the one to blame, bt let's not point fingers and see how this is going to work out, shall we? :D Loved your review, btw.**

 **FOR THOSE WITH RAGE I have a small piece (a whole chapter actually) of background history to calm those fiery pussies down (love you) and to have you wonder how hell is gonna break down when Malia shows her claws...**

 **This is gonna be fun...**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 21: Background History (bc I couldn't think of a better title xD)**

* * *

Sweat ran down her face and neck, but she couldn't bring herself to stop. The climb down the gorge was hard, but the woman had her eyes on the price: the truth about herself and her parents. Who they were, what they did for living, what they desired the most. And most importantly… Were they alive or not. Her foot slipped and she let out a yelp, but her strong grip on the rocks kept her from falling. She was okay, it was just a jump scare. But someone else didn't see it that way.

"Malia! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Zander, I'm fine…" she smiled, looking up to the mage that eyed her worryingly "My foot slipped. Nothing biggie."

"Oh, thank Eanna." He sighed, and climbed down to her level "Don't scare me like that."

"Zander…" she smiled, placing her feet on a steady rock and reaching out her left hand to caress his face "You don't need to worry about me. I can handle myself."

"Malia…" the mage smiled, seeing her soft movements and enjoying the glow that the ring gave her left ring finger "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't worry over silly things."

"It's okay. But come on." She told him, grasping a rock near her knee and jumping down to a lower one "You don't want to be left behind, now do you?"

"I'm going, I'm going…" he said, and continued the trip.

The rest of the way was quiet, a few hisses filling the air when the rock was pointy or the surface slithered under their feet, but other than that, it was calm. The sun was high in the sky by the time they reached solid steady ground and they smiled and looked around. They stood on the edge of a small and quiet village. The whole village was surrounded by mountains except for the small patch of dirt that was a road that led them out. Malia guessed that said path should go around the mountains, being much safer but a lot longer.

There were eleven small houses, all shaped like a cone, with wooden walls and straw ceilings, with one or two windows allowing the sunlight to enter the building, and one more, that was a little bigger than the rest, also made of wood and straw, but with a small path of stones leading to the entrance of the door. Zander could see a large building, clearly a storage and another white brick one that had a sign saying 'Clinic'. For last, there was a stone statue in the center of the village. It was a woman and a man, back to back. The woman was firing an arrow and the man held a flame in his hand.

"I received no word that we would be having visitors today…" a drawled voice said. The coupled turned around to see an old man looking at them with kind eyes "Who might you be?"

"Kind sir, my name is Zander and this is my fiancée Malia." Zander spoke, bowing slightly "We are here under the directions of the Queen of Adeshia and-"

"Queen of Adeshia? Nayana! How is she?" the elder asked, showing them a toothless grin.

"Sir…" Malia said "Nayana is dead. Her daughter Calida now rules the country."

"I don't recall your fiancé allowing you to speak, woman." The elder frowned.

"Who the hell do you think you are to talk to me like that, old man?!" Malia growled, grabbing her whip and lashing the ground with it.

"Forgive me, forgive me…" the elder laughed "I just needed to see your reaction. You do have her temper. My, my, you are one grown up young woman."

"You know who I am?" Malia asked.

"Why of course! You learned how to walk in this floor that you're standing right now." He smiled walking to the statue "How could I not remember the little angel that Eanna gave us?"

"Calida… She told me I would find answers for my parents here." She said "Are you going to be the one telling them to me?"

"Oh, how I wished to! Wrap myself in the comforting memories that your parents were, rejoice in the safety they brought to our little village! But I can't. Because you may have questions to which I can't answer."

"Then who?" Zander asked, walking to Malia.

"You see the house with the stony pathway?" he asked "Her name is Litsa. She will tell you everything you want to know about your parents."

"Thank you…" she said, and took Zander's hand, running to the house. Knocking lightly, Malia looked over to Zander, whom smiled down at her, before pressing a kiss against her forehead.

"Inanna." A voice called as the door opened.

"No, my name is Malia…" the girl smiled.

"I always knew you as Inanna. That was what your parents called you, after all. But come in, come in." the voice said, opening the door for them to pass.

Malia and Zander stepped in and watched the person that the voice belonged to. She was tall and skinny, with sun kissed skin and beautiful port. To those watching her could easily see the noble heart that she carried on her chest. Her hair was light gray, curly and reached her shoulders, and her skin showed the signs of age, of a full lived life. She wore a long sleeved purple tunic with a white frilly collar over a pair of brown pants, with camel boots on her feet. She smiled to them and pointed them a couch, before disappearing behind a door in order to get something to drink.

"This is odd…" Zander said, looking around "I get the lace and the cushions… But the rags?"

"I don't really know." She said "Where did she go?"

"Get us something to drink." He said "Malia? Who are those?"

Zander was pointing at a painting hanging on the wall. It was a large one, with the frame dyed in gold. In the picture was a male moon elf. His skin was light, almost pale, and his eyes were the most vibrant blue she had ever seen. His hair was spiky and black, with a small braid falling down his face. His high cheek bones were sharp, and his smile was soft, innocent even. His lean body was covered by a V-neck cream shirt with the sides white and sleeves rolled up, grey pants and brown boots, his muscled was wrapped around a woman.

A tanned woman with freckled cheeks and daring smirk, with bronze hair pulled up in a ponytail and full white eyes. A Kaleik. She wore a black sleeveless shirt with a small dark armor over, a pair of dark green shorts secured by a grey belt, thigh high black socks and dark brown boots, her forearms being covered with a pair of handless brown leather gloves. Tightly secured on her hilt was two swords and one of her arms was wrapped around the male's lower back.

"Her name is Kairi." The old woman said "And he is Matteo."

"Who are they?" Malia asked, turning to the old woman, whom was setting down three cups and a teapot.

"They?" the woman chuckled "They are your parents, dear."

"My… Parents?" she whispered, turning to face the painting in front of her.

"Yes, love… Your parents." The woman said "Please, take a seat. And I will answer wherever questions you have."

"They are so many I wouldn't even know where to start…" the girl smiled, sitting at the table with Zander.

"Why don't you start by getting to know them?" Zander suggested, taking her hand in his. "Ask her how they were. How they met."

"Good idea. Litsa… What were they like?"

"Kairi was a wild spirit when I met her at the age of eighteen." The old lady told her "She had been in a battle and separated from her family, and she came to this village for healing. I helped her, and learned that all of her group had died in the battle. She stayed with me and, when she was fully healed, I accompanied her to the forest, and made sure she was safe. She came back two days later with a wild pig over her shoulder and a smile on her face. She stayed with us, and she was our personal hunter. She was a great archer, and an even better swordswoman. She was a great person, inspiring and loved by all. But she was stubborn, and so damn proud."

"Sounds like someone I know." Zander chuckled, looking down at Malia.

"One day, she left to hunt again, but she encountered trouble. Thieves. Usually, she would just ignore them and continue on her way. But the thieves were chasing after someone and Kairi feared that it was a child, so she followed them. Once she caught them, proceeded to knock them out, and found the person they had been chasing. It was your father, Matteo. He snapped at her, saying that he could protect himself and that, because of her, he had lost sight of a specimen that lived in this forest."

"Really?" Malia asked.

"Yes. She yelled back. Told him that he could have died if it wasn't for her, and that he should be thankful that she had showed up. Out of the sudden, he started blushing and stammering, but turned around and whispered a thank you. Few steps later, he fell down and grabbed his arm. Kairi went to check on him and he was bleeding. She brought him here and asked me to take care of him. I did. And he introduced himself as Matteo. She said she was Kairi, but she was going to call him Matt. They argued, but when his injuries started hurting again, she stopped and tended to his wounds."

"That's so… Sweet." Malia whispered.

"They were always arguing. After Matteo got better, there wasn't a peaceful day in this village. Whether it was the loud fights that they had, which always ended up in him blushing and stammering or running away, or Kairi was out hunting and Matteo would spend his day cursing her existence and arguing about her, or even Matteo would go to the forest looking for herbs, animals to study and magic and we would hear Kairi complain about him nonstop. It was tiring. Until…"

"Until what? What happened?"

"They had a fight. A huge fight. It was bad, and whoever got in between would have been blown to pieces. It was about her group. Matteo asked about them, since Kaleiks don't live without their gang, and she told him. When he apologized, that was when hell broke loose." Litsa sighed "She told him it wasn't his fault, but she was going to nail the man's behind to the wall when she found him. And he told her that she was lowering herself to his level if she did that. They argued, Kairi told him he didn't know what it was like to have your family dying in front of your eyes and you can do nothing about it. And he said she was right, but she had more maturity than that. And she fought back. And he, like always, shut up."

"Why? Why would my father shut up when the argument was heating?" Malia asked.

"That was what your mother asked. But Matteo didn't tell her. So she pushed it. And your father… Well, your father kissed her. And then ran away." Litsa told her, smiling at the young woman's gasp "Kairi went after him. And when she found him, she forced it out of him. He told her the truth. He told her that the waves of Kaleik magic would start flooding around her, and he knew that Kaleik magic was dangerous. But he also told her the real reason. It was because she got extremely beautiful when she was mad."

"Aaw…" Malia let out, and Zander chuckled.

"After that day, we heard the fights they had when they were in the village and the whispers of the fights they had in the forest. Because when Kairi went hunting, Matteo would go with her. And when Matteo went to get supplies, Kairi trailed behind him, curious. It was bound to happen that the two would get together eventually. And you happened, dear. Your parents named you Inanna, like the Goddess of Love, Life and Lust, but the villagers would call you Malia."

"What happened to them? Kairi and Matteo?"

"One day, Matt heard from a traveler that a group of men were trailing after a form of energy, and he got scared. I didn't understand, but he ran to Kairi and told her they had to move. They had to leave. She asked why, and he told her: the energy those men were looking for… Matteo had absorbed it. In order to not let the men catch it. But the magic never settled in his body. Instead, it had gone to a pure being. A being of his next generation. You, dear. Those men were chasing after your magic, Malia. And they wanted it bad. You were two years old when they left this place. And you were three years old when Kairi sent you to Adeshia, to hide behind the walls of the palace."

"What happened to my parents? Where are they?"

"The day after they sent you to Adeshia with a trusted person, they were killed by the men after you. Kairi died first, her mother protection making her reckless. And Matt… when he saw your mother falling, he burned the forest down, killing the men. And then, wounded to death, he laid next to Kairi, held her and closed his eyes. They say that the forest never fully healed. They say that Kairi's song still echoes in the night and Matteo's flames don't allow the forest to move on." Litsa finished "I'm sorry, love."

"It's okay…" she whispered, resting her head in Zander's shoulder, feeling his wrap his arms around her "I guess it was a foolish dream to expect them to be alive after all this… I'm sorry. But thank you. Thank you for telling me who they are."

"Malia…" Zander tried, watching her get up and walk out of the house.

"Let her. She has a lot to take in." Litsa said.

"I'm her fiancé. I have to be next to her when she's down." Zander said, standing up as well "But, Litsa… What was the magic? The energy they were after?"

"The touch of death. Matteo told me that it was an enchantment that, every time the owner thought about hurting someone… The enchantment would hurt the person. Like a dog. You tell him to attack, he attacks." Litsa explained.

"Did it have a form?"

"No. It was invisible. Like a breeze."

"So you're saying that the blue fire is really Malia's? That isn't a side effect of the magic?" Zander asked.

"Correct. Blue fire isn't supposed to harm, dear." Litsa explained "Blue fire is the Tamra side of fire. The magic is what makes it harm people."

"I see…" Zander smiled "Thank you, lady Litsa."

The mage walked out the door to see Malia standing in front of the statue. Now she realized that the two were really her parents. Zander got closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind. Her breathing was soft and calm, but her hold on him was clingy. Her ring hand rested over his arms and the other reached out to touch the cold stone of the statue, smiling when a spark ran through her body. Resting her head on Zander's clavicle, she sighed and pulled away, looking up to her mother's small smirk.

"You're half Kaleik, half moon elf… Isn't that curious?" Zander said.

"What do you think of meeting your parents now?" she asked.

"Are you sure? We can stay here a little more, if you'd like." He told her.

"Zander… I came here to know who my parents were. I know now that I have my mother's temper and my dad's heart. What else is there for me to do here?" she asked, turning to him "What did you ask Litsa about my magic?"

"The fire is yours. Even the blue color. His power to kill belongs to the energy." He told her.

"Thank you…" she whispered "Shall we go now?"

"After you, love."

* * *

 **A/N: Oh shit. Shit is going down in the Morthil house! And if you want to know, stick around to find out ;) I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	22. Chapter 22: The Truth

**My computer broke. That's the only explanation I can give to you...**

 **HI there! How are you doing? I'm feeling just peachy, despise what happened to my computer, but here I am, posting this because I do save all the important stuff on my cloud, so shout out to my smart brain! I hope you're all feelin like I am feeling, but if you're not, do tell me about it and don't fear to spoil my mood, because I wanna know all about you, and that life is full of ups and downs, so don't worry :)**

 **Lonee, you were supposed to be giving them the chapter, not talk about the story of your life!  
 _Story of my life, I take her home..._  
Okay, okay! As you probably realized by now if you've been with me long enough, I am currently under the influence of sugar! (don't worry it's not something bad, I just get a little more childish than I usually am...)  
LONEE, YOU'RE DOING IT AGAIN!**

 **Sorry! Fine, I'll get on with the resume... Bitch.**

 **And this was a talk with myself, featuring LoneeWolf and her weird brain!**

 **Ahaha, just kidding guys, since I probably already pushed half of you away because of my weirdness, but how are you doing? I hope you're doing good, because I have a fresh new chapter for you! So, remember when I told you that there was an explanation to why Sky drove Diego away? Well, the answer is in this chapter. You will also get to see a little bit of Malia's... How should I put it...? Bitchiness? Yeah, that's the word. AND EXCUSE ME FOR MY CORNY JOKES AND CLICHES, I JUST CAN'T HELP IT!**

 **That being said... REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, love, it's quite alright, don't worry, As long as I'm graced with your appearance and review in my story, you are most welcome in being late :) And thank you for your words!**

 **\- STA25, thank you for your compliment, you are also really sweet! :) Love you!**

 **\- Guest, I'm glad you loved the names. I have a particular soft spot in choosing names because I want them to be meaningful. I'm glad to make you impatient (and now I'm feeling like an evil person) but I like doing the drama! If I was a little bit more cuter, I'd probably be a drama queen. Lot of kisses for you too, honey and LOVE YOU!**

 **\- Guest, no, I do not have Wattpad :)**

 **\- humanoid, I'm so happy you liked her parents! I hope you like this chapter as well! Read ahead!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 22: The Truth**

* * *

Malia waltz inside the large doors of the mansion that was Zander's house. A hall as big as Queen Calida's bedroom stood proud before them, a diamond chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The walls were painted with a soft color of brown, pink and white lilies decorating expensive-looking blue and white tall vases. The woman felt the tempting urge to break one of those 'by accident', but held herself. She was going to do enough damages to the family once they were together, and Zander had assured her that he was going to make his 'dear' mother (extreme sarcasm in dear, please) be present when his fiancée started her show.

"Are you sure you don't mind if burn the damn house to the ground? Metaphorically, of course, because you already did it literally." She asked, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I'm sure. I just have one request for you, love."

"Shoot, lover boy."

"Make sure they remember the humiliation 'til the day they die." He smirked evilly, and Malia bit lip.

"Knock it out, Pyro. You're making me horny with such evilness."

"Good." He whispered at her ear, before releasing her and walking inside the living room.

He sat on the couch with his legs wide open and his back leaned against the back of the couch, one arm resting on top of the backrest. Malia smirked and walked around the living room, examining the paintings placed on the wall. She made a few fancy exclamations at the painting she was watching: a completely blanc canvas with a vertical straight red line. She commented on how beautiful it was, how inspiring and how it could change so many lives before turning to Zander and saying that it would keep them warm for one night if they fed a fire with it. Zander let out a loud laugh after the last line before turning his head to the door and watching his family walk in.

His dad, with his grey hair and blue eyes, just like his own, wearing a simple black dress shirt and black dress pants. His little sister, Alanis, with long wavy black hair and blue eyes, wearing a hi low pink dress and pink boots. His older sister, Elora, with wavy black hair and green eyes, wearing a straight purple dress with a ruffled collar and black boots. And finally, his mother Ygrainne, with her purple hair up in a up do, with a long dark green dress and grey boots.

"Zander." Lord Morthil spoke, voice filled with venom "May I know the reason why you demanded to see all of us here, now?"

"Yes, father. If you mind having an seat…?" he pointed to the empty couch in front of him, where all of the four fitted, not letting anyone sit next to his empty seat.

"Zander, is this going to take long?" Alanis asked "I have meeting with my girlfriends, so…"

"It's gonna take as long as I want to, so zip it, Alanis." He growled, successfully shutting up his little sister "As I was beginning to say before my little sister rudely interrupted me… I am here for a reason. Reason that you might not approve, and reason that you might despise, but I don't give a shit. It's my decision, and despise of all of what you have put me through, I still want my blood family to know of said decision by me and not from other people."

"What is it that you have to say to us, Zander?" Elora asked.

"Before I get to that, El, I want to introduce you all someone. She's here, in the living room, but you didn't notice because in your eyes, she didn't outshine the entire room. Unluckily for you, she does that to me." He said.

"Have you considered that maybe I'm just a fantastic ninja?" she smirked, looking at him.

"Come here." He said, while seeing his family members turning their eyes to meet the source of the voice. She walked to him and sat on the couch next to him, smiling "Mother, Father, sisters… This is Malia."

"That… That woman!" Lord Morthil shouted, pointing at her and standing up "It's her! Guards!"

"Sit that ass down before your back breaks, old man." Malia smirked "And don't worry about the guards. Your son allowed them to go and have a drink."

"You're that woman…" he tried and she declared "The woman that broke inside this fortress to wake you up with a blade against your neck? The woman that watched you piss yourself with fright? The woman that heard you call out for your son, despise the cruelties that you have done to him? The woman that left you alive when she realized you weren't worth the effort? Yes, boo, that's me. But sit down, really. You're gonna get tired if you don't."

"What is she doing here?!" he asked.

"She has a name and I have already told you which one." Zander growled "And you better learn it, because she won't be leaving anytime soon."

"Malia, right?" Elora called.

"Yes."

"What are you doing here?" she asked "I have no interest in having, judging by the appearance, a thief in my house. I will ask the guards to proceed to a full inventory of the house later on."

"Please do. And when you find half of the house missing, please come after me." She smirked "So that my friends can steal the other half."

Zander chuckled and looked over to her, seeing her roll her eyes and shrug. "Malia and I have been travelling together for quite some time now, and we have been through so much together. So, without your blessing or any kind of superstitious acts, I hereby declare, in front of my blood family, that I am getting married. And the bride is this beautiful girl sitting right besides me."

"NO!" a howl echoed in the room, belonging to Zander's mother.

"Eanna, woman, calm yourself down!" Malia exclaimed "You're going to give me a heart attack if you keep screaming like a wolf!"

"How can you subject your own family to such humiliation?!" Lord Morthil asked, outraged.

"How can you say such a thing and not knowing who she is!" Zander shouted back, standing up "Malia, I'm sorry for not saying anything before, but it took me a while to put all the pieces together."

"What are you talking about, Zander?" she asked, taking his hand in hers.

"Remember Matteo, Father?" Zander asked "The man you called your best friend? The fire mage that you found in the library in your young years and that settled your doubts about marrying mother?!"

"Of course." The old man said "But why are you bringing to memory a dead soul?"

"Because that dead soul is Malia's father! And Kairi, the beautiful Kaleik that Matt complained on and on? It's her mother! So whether you like it or not, she's entwined in our lives in ways that can only be blamed on Fate. Get it together and face the truth, or do nothing! Either way, I'm marrying her."

"Zander…" the young woman said, placing a hand on his knee when he sat back down.

"Sorry for not telling, beautiful." He caressed her cheek, smiling a little.

"It's okay… Show time?"

"Show time." He confirmed, watching her snap her fingers and getting up.

"Listen up, you miserable people! Zander has spoken out the truth and I'm merely going to confirm it and add a few more details to what life is going to be like from now on." She declared "I know you're all a bunch of bitches, especially Alanis there. That being said, trust me when I say this that what you are… Isn't something that I've never seen before. So, be ready because if you are bitches for me, I will be a bitch for you. And you do not want that."

"It's true, you don't." Zander confirmed.

"And if we cross that barrier and you turn out to be bitches for me, I will hurt you. I already know how this is going down. You will act behind everybody's back and cut me down. You will hurt me and you will laugh behind my back. But honey, I know what matters to you the most is your reputation. And me? I will act on everybody's faces and I will bring you down. And then… I will laugh at your faces. Because doing that doesn't hurt my reputation. It actually makes me bigger. So, before you think about harming me and my future husband, note this. I will take every pleasure in hurting you ten times worse that you hurt me. You will burn me to the ground? I will come back leading Hell against you."

"I feel like giving you a slow clap right now." Zander whispered at her ear when he stood up as well.

"I know right? I read that last sentence in a book that Tillie was reading."

"I loved it." He said, before turning to his parents "Thank you for paying attention to what I had to say to you. I do hope to see you there, at my wedding. I'll send the invitation soon. But note that if you go there with intentions of making any harm, I will have much pleasure in watching my bride kicking you out while wearing her dress."

"Don't give me ideas, Zander." Malia smirked "I might put them to practice."

"At least…" Ygrainne, Zander's mother spoke "Tell me you're pure for the wedding."

"Oh, bae, that ship sailed a long time ago." Malia laughed.

"Oh great, aside of a thief, you are also marrying a whore." Elora rolled her eyes.

"Malia is a seductress, El, and a solo mercenary." Zander explained.

"Exactly." Malia smirked "What brings me to my next question. What's your excuse?"

"Oh, you little…!" Elora yelled, jumping up, but Zander stood between the two and declared:

"Knock it off, both of you. Malia, we need to hurry. Nina is not going to wait for us."

"Fine…" Malia sighed, and wrapped her arm around Zander's lower waist.

"Goodbye Father. Mother. Alanis and Elora." He nodded at them "I hope to see you at the wedding."

.~.~.

"Hey, fire girl!"

"Oh, hi Nina!" Malia exclaimed, turning to the Captain of the ship.

"Hey-GURL! Where you get that?" Nina asked, pointing at her.

"What are you talking about?" the mage asked, looking around herself.

"I'm talking 'bout that ring! Where you get that?!" she exclaimed, taking Malia's hands in hers.

"Oh! Zander gave it to me."

"Gurl, you getting married?! OOH!"

"Keep it down, Cap!"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?" Malia asked.

"Have you been fucking?"

"Who do you think I am, Nina? Yeah!"

"My gurl! Can I ask you another something?"

"Shoot."

"Did he get down on one knee or was he already there?" Nina wiggled her eyebrows, making the mage laugh.

"That's for me to know…" Malia patted her shoulder "And for you to never find out."

"GURL! TELL ME!" Nina yelled, chasing Malia across the deck. Zander caught her in his arms and picked her up, before settling her on the ground when Nina gave up.

"What was that all about?" he asked her.

"Hum, Nina asking me about the ring." She said "Do me a favor? Tell her she's invited for the wedding, because I ain't gonna be the one doing so."

"Okay." He smiled "I will. Want to go back to my chamber?"

"Zander…" Malia called, shocked "Are you inviting me to your room to have loud hardcore sex?!"

"Yeah." He shrugged.

"Okay." Malia smirked, dragging him to his bedroom.

* * *

"Airdan!" Tillie let out, gasping when she saw him entering the house.

"Love…" he whispered, walking to her and pulling her into a strong embrace.

"Airdan… Why are you here?" Tillie asked "You should be going to your mission, not here."

"I know… But I can't stand going on another mission without at least spending some time with you." He told her, kissing her softly on the lips.

"Airdan… I have something for you." She whispered, putting the protection she made in his pocket "Wear it around your neck. It will protect you from any kind of magic sent against you."

"Thank you… But you didn't have to."

"I did." She smiled "I love you. Even if I'm not allowed to be next to you, to protect you, I know that, this way, I can protect you from afar."

"Love…"

"You must go." She spoke "The ship is waiting for you…"

"I need to have you. Please, in case I don't-"

"Don't even say it." She interrupted him.

"Tillie." He spoke "Please."

"There will be women in your mission, won't there?"

"Yes." He confirmed. "I want to have something to hold onto dearly when I spend three months without sleeping next to you."

"Okay…" she whispered, and that was all it took for Airdan to pick her up and smash his lips against hers, taking her to her bedroom in a blink of an eye.

"We're home!" Malia and Zander shouted, smiling when they saw Seena sitting in the couch, playing with a light ball.

"OH! ZANDER! ROGUE!" she exclaimed, running to them and jumping to their arms.

"Hey, Minnie!" Malia said "How have you been?"

"I is okay. Can't say the same about the others, though."

"What do you mean?" Zander asked.

"Well…"

"Hold up. Before you say anything…" Malia replied "Where's Diego?"

"Malia!" Aida exclaimed, walking out of her room with Jace.

"Aida, hi! Jace!" she smiled, placing Seena in Zander's arms and wrapping hers around the couple.

"How was it? Did you find out about your parents?" Jace asked.

"I did. My mother was a strong Kaleik and my father was a moon elf. Bff with Zander's father, now I think about it."

"Damn! What happened?" Aida asked.

"We went to Ildis to talk to Zander's family and let's just say that they don't like me." The mage explained "They have reasons to, though. I did try to kill Zander's father. And I did threaten to destroy everything they knew. And laugh while doing so. So I understand them…"

"I wish I was there…" Aida laughed.

"Me too. You could have seen when I called out one of Zander's sister AND mother at the same time!" Malia smiled "But now seriously… Where's Diego? I know that Tillie is upstairs, because Zander saw Airdan inside this house, but Diego? And Sky?"

"Sky is in her bedroom…" Jace scratched the back of his head "As to Diego… That's a long story. One that you might not like."

"Zander, stay here. I'm gonna go check on Sky." Malia said, climbing up the stairs to the girl's bedroom. Knocking softly, she opened the door and stepped inside.

"Malia!" Sky called, cleaning her nose "I didn't know you were back this soon!"

"What do you mean? I was gone for two weeks!" Malia frowned, and sat next to her on the bed.

"Oh! That long? I guess time flies…" the brunette whispered "Hum, I've been working on a gift for you…"

"Thank you…" the bronze haired girl smiled, watching Sky lock the leather bracelet around her right wrist.

"When you use it, it will send an invisible jolt of energy against the person you're aiming at." She smiled.

"Wait, this is an enchanted item?" Malia frowned "But there's no gem!"

"I know. That's why it was so hard to enchant." Sky explained "But it's completely functional. I've tried it before. Aida was the target."

"Poor girl…" she laughed "Sky, where's Diego?"

"Diego… It's best of you not to know…"

"Tell me. I can see you're hurt. And I'm gonna break his face for hurting you."

"Almost three weeks ago… Catalina asked Aida and Jace to a mission for her. Go to the village in the oasis and give a bag of gold and a letter to a woman there. But once they gave the items, they should turn around and come back. And never, ever talk to the woman."

"And Aida ignored and talked to her nevertheless." Malia sighed.

"Yes. She came to find exactly who the woman was. And the reason behind the gifts and why she was living there. Aida came back and faced Diego with the words the woman told her. Catalina was with them. Diego forced the truth out of Catalina and she confirmed Aida's words. The woman they had went to see was called Lani. And she had a child called Cerys. Said child was also Diego's daughter."

"Sky…"

"I heard the whole conversation. And I was going to forgive him and move on… But then… He said that he had loved her. And I knew I couldn't hold him here. So I told him to go. I told him to go to Lani and Cerys and build the life he had always wanted with them, there at that village. And I told him to never come back."

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'?" Sky frowned.

"Why did you force him to go to the child and this Lani girl? He loves you, Sky. So why did you tell him to go to a forgotten love from his past? Forgotten love to which he happens to have a child with. Happens. Why did you tell him to go? And tell me the truth."

"You wouldn't understand…" she spoke softly, closing her eyes.

"Try me." Malia smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder. Gasping when she felt a flow of energy running through her, she eyed Sky. But her eyes only told her confirmation to what she had just found out with a simple touch. "Sky…" Malia whispered.

"Yeah?" the brunette asked.

"You're pregnant."

* * *

 **A/N: There you have folks! LEMME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IT'S GONNA HAPPEN and possible the reaction of the people involved! I really hope that you were sitting down on this last part, because I'm pretty sure it was a shocker! Love you tho. I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	23. Chapter 23: Come Back

**I'VE GOT A NEW COMPUTER AND NOW I CAN FINALLY UPLOAD!**

 **What's up, ya'll, this is LoneeWolf and I'm back for another chapter! I hope your day is filled with rainbows and sunshine as mine is, and if it isn't then honey... Here's a unicorn *gives unicorn to you*. No I am not under the influence of sugar, don't get your panties on a twist, but I am happy. I don't know why, thought. I had Spanish today, and honey, I was suffering.**

 **BUT ANYWAY, not feeling very chatty today, so let's get going to REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- humanoid, I'm sorry if you thought that, I was trying to make it all more amusing. But thank you for reviewing, and I hope this one is better :)**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, I'm glad you liked it :) And Sky will have everything fixed in her life in this chapter. :D**

 **\- STA25, I'm glad you liked it! Let me know if you like this one too!**

 **\- Penny, yes, you are correct. The 'deadly energy' that Malia has on her body allows her to feel the flow of life within another person, as long as there is physical contact. I'm glad you liked it, and let me know your thoughts!**

 **\- Harley-SA, hi! I am so happy that you liked it, it makes me all fuzzy inside :) Also, now that you have an account, I can talk to you via PM ^^ yey!**

 **WAAAAAIIIIIIT! Before you read, you all remember when Malia found out what was going on with Sky? Here's the result!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 23: Come Back**

* * *

"Calida, I'ma need two horses immediately!" Malia shouted, dragging Sky by the hand.

"Of course, but why?" the Queen asked her, frowning as she took the two animals by the reins as she walked "Is everything okay, Malia?"

"No, Calida, it isn't." she said "You know what happened with Diego?"

"Yes. The word spread fast." She nodded "But why?"

"He's making the biggest mistake of his life." Malia explained "And Sky is coming with me to prove him that."

"You don't mean…" Calida frowned, watching Malia help Sky mount her horse and then mounting her own.

"Yes, that is exactly what I mean." The bronze haired girl sighed "And she didn't tell him, despise knowing already. She pushed Diego into the arms of another woman so that he wouldn't ever know about her own secret. That was a dick move, Sky.

"It was my choice, not yours!" she exclaimed "And why are you going against my wishes?"

"Because if you haven't realized already, I know what it's like to grow up without parents! And I would give anything to meet them face to face‼ What you're doing right now will hurt your baby! Do you want him to grow up without his father?! Do you want him to, when he looks at himself in the mirror, ask you about where did the green eyes came from? Or the jet black hair?! Or do you want him to find out for himself when he grows up that he's the son of the leader of the biggest cartel in all Arunia?!"

"I'll find someone…" Sky tried.

"No. You won't. Because every single time you look at him, you will remember his father, and your love for him! You will never forget him, Sky. And when your baby grows mad at you for not telling him who his father was, and trust me that he will, you will regret the decision you're making right now."

"I don't want to harm the child…" the brunette said.

"The kid is seven years old. She did just fine without her dad so far, why would she need one now?" Malia asked "Unlike yours, that isn't even born. We're going, Sky, even if I have to strap you to the horse and drag you there."

"I can't help but feel this way towards this whole situation, Malia!" Sky yelled "Put yourself in my shoes and try to feel the way I do! Imagine that you find out that Zander has a child with another woman! Would you really chase after him when he goes and tries to be a father to that child?!"

"Your own damn fault for falling for a dog." Malia declared, climbing her horse and grabbing the reins "And yes. Because I'm selfish. He could be a father to that child all he wants, but I would still want him by my side. Now get on that horse. Because the next time I say this, I won't be Malia. I will be Rogue."

The brunette gulped and climbed up to her saddle, sighing and looking over to the bronze haired girl. Seeing her smile, Sky tried one of her own and looked away, glaring at the back of her horse's neck. Giving the reins a snap and getting the horse to ride, Malia saw Sky do the same, and the two rode in the village's direction, knowing that, if they kept the speed, they would reach the oasis in half a day.

And eventually, they did so. It was noon by then, and the sun would burn their shoulders, and blind them with its light. Malia sighed and unmounted her horse, taking a second to see Sky doing the same, turning to the lively environment. It was green, green all over, and simple, perhaps a little old fashioned, but pure. The toddlers ran across the fields, playing catch with each other. Boys would kick around a ball made of straw and dried mud; girls sat near the shadows and braided each other's hair. Of course, there were exceptions, because you could see girls playing with the boys, but the stereotypical situations were there.

"You really want me to take him away from this place?" Sky asked her, closing her eyes.

"Sky, one simple phrase. He's a criminal. A thief. Something like that doesn't go away, no matter how hard you push and hide." Malia explained, and walked to a woman that was picking fruits from a creeping plant "Excuse me?"

"Why, hello! You must be new here!"

"We are indeed. Is there anywhere that we can go to get information?" The bronze haired girl asked.

"Why, the information can be given by any of the villagers, but if you wish to stay here, you must talk to the leader." The lady explained, standing up "He is that one sitting on the steps of the big house."

"Thank you." Malia nodded, and took Sky's hand. Together they walked to the man that was appointed to them.

He was tall and strong, with a somewhat buff structure. He was old, but seemed to know his way around and able to pull his own weight. His skin was sun kissed and wrinkled; his eyes shiny and brown and his hair white and long. A beard ran down his face and waist, white also, and his body was covered with white and brown vests, his feet wearing sandals. Leaning on his dark wooden staff, he stood up when he saw the two women walking to him.

"Hello there," he spoke with a deep and silky voice "I'm Caleb. The leader of this village. Who might you be?"

"I'm Malia, and this is Sky."

"It's a pleasure. You seek refuge as well?"

"No." Sky spoke "We're here about something else."

"Okay. What is it that you seek here?"

"Someone. We are well aware that you have welcomed a man a couple of weeks ago. Said man goes by the name Diego. Where can I find him?" Malia asked.

"Diego? Cerys's father, if I'm not mistaken."

"You are not..." Sky whispered.

"Yes, it's true, I welcomed him here. What is it that you want from him?"

"To take him back." Malia declared.

"Well, I'm afraid that's impossible. Once someone is accepted, they never leave." The elder said "And why would they want to? I mean, look around you. This is paradise."

"It's hell for those with reasons to live outside of these natural walls." Malia declared "Please, allow us to take Diego back home. And we will never bother you again."

"Let us make a deal then. If Diego wants to leave, you are allowed to do so, but never to come back. If not, he will stay, and you will never come back." The old man smirked.

"Deal." Malia agreed, turning to Sky "Where is he?"

"In the house that is covered with flowers." Caleb pointed "I'll take you there."

"Let's go, Sky." Malia called, walking after the elder.

 **.~.~.**

"Cerys, have you showered?" Lani asked from the kitchen to the floor above.

"I have not, mommy, but I'm about to!" The little girl's voice was heard, and Lani smiled. Turning to the man sitting on the kitchen's table, she asked:

"Diego dear, would you like some tea?"

"No thanks, Lani. I'm okay." The male spoke, looking down to his full cup of tea. He sighed and took a sip, shuddering when he noticed that it was cold.

"Cerys is such a good girl, do you not think?" The woman asked, sitting beside him.

"She is. You educated her well." Diego agreed.

"Nevertheless, I always knew that she needed a father." The woman spoke "And you're here now. We can become a true family again."

"We were never a family in first place, Lani. I didn't know you were pregnant when you left. I didn't even know that Cerys existed until now. Until Catalina told me."

"But you came to us! That only means that we're meant to be!" She smiled.

"I came because Sky told me to come, Lani." He whispered.

"Diego, love? When should we begin our... actions as a couple?"

"As a what?!" He finally looked up to her, and saw her blushing face.

"As a couple... I have to say, twelve years is a long time..." She declared "But I want that relationship with you..."

"Give me time." He asked, turning to look to his cup once more "I'm not going to forget about Sky that easily."

"You really love her?"

"With every fiber of my being." He closed his eyes "Despise whatever wrong I've done to her, she was always there. And I found myself doing whatever she asked of me. Including leaving her and coming here."

"Diego... She pushed you in to the arms of another woman... If you ask me, she doesn't love you that much to do this just because she wants to." Lani smirked "So please, forget her. So that you and I can be together. Like we once were."

"Lani, it's not that..."

"Mommy, I'm back!" Cerys ran down the stairs wearing a short puffy green dress and sandals. Jumping down the last step, she stopped when she saw Diego "Oh. Our visitor is still here."

"About him... Darling, I have something to say to you. He's not just a visitor."

"Of course not. He has been with us for the last two weeks, of course it's not _just_ a visitor. Mommy, if... Diego, that's your name, right? , is your new boyfriend, you can tell me. I'm not that naïve. I just don't understand why you two have never kissed. Or held each other for what matters. You keep each other at arm's length. Why?"

"Well, honey, it's a little hard to explain. But he's not just mommy's... Boyfriend. He is your..."

"DIEGO!"

"Malia?" Diego frowned, and walked out of the door to find the bronze haired girl standing at the entrance.

"You mutt, I am going to peel your skin off and dive you in a mountain of salt!" She threatened.

"Okay, slow down. How did you get here? And what are you doing here?!"

"I'm stopping two people from making the biggest mistake of their lives. Also, Aida is a snitch, so you can blame that on her. But you, looking boy? You are gonna beg the Old Kings to kill you when I lay my hands on you."

"Do you at least know what's going on?"

"You mean that you are just a plain mutt face that fucks every women that come around the corner and the bitch behind you just happened to get pregnant? Yeah, I know all about it. But that's not why I'm pissed, although it might have something to do with this. I'm pissed because you let the _only_ woman you **ever** truly loved alone. When you promised me that, once you have found the one, you would quit everything for her."

"Well, guess what, Malia? It was that one woman that told me to come here." Diego growled "So don't you come shoving things at my face that might be the fucking reason of why I'm here."

"And you didn't even stop to think why she did what she did? Why she shoved you away when she found out you had a child with another woman? Knowing her kind and motherly spirit?"

"Jeez, I don't know, Malia, jealousy?" He tried "Anger? Disappointment? Pain? Sadness? Hurt?"

"You are dumber than a fish trying to swim against flow." Malia cursed "Have you ever stopped to consider what it was doing to her?! All the times that you two had sex, and nothing pops into your head?! Really?!"

"What are you talking about?" Diego shook his head, brushing away the hairs on his forehead "Just come out clean."

"Sky, come here." Malia called, and the brunette obeyed. A pained gasp left Diego's lips at the view of her broken look, her smaller and thinner complexion, of her sunken cheeks. He wanted to hold her, but the look in Malia's eyes told him he couldn't. Not until he heard the whole story.

"You are being a victim of what I call one sided knowledge. You don't know the whole story. I do, and I am here to make sure that you learn it. But first... Diego, we made a deal with the village's leader. We tell you our side of the story, and the choice of coming back with us or remaining here lies with you. But before you decide, I advise you to listen."

"Okay." He let out, his voice cracking.

"Sky, tell him the truth. Tell him why you shoved him away and into the arms of the woman behind him,"

"Malia..."

"Sky... I advise you to tell him." She warned "You don't want my twin sister to pop up, now do you?"

"No..." She whispered, and turned to Diego "I'm sorry for saying what I said. But I meant it. I wanted you to stay here, with a child that was already born and raised because you spoke that you wanted that. And I figured, why not let you? Since that dream already existed in this world, why not? I said those words to make sure you wouldn't come back for me. To make sure that you would watch your daughter grow. But also to make sure I didn't get caught in the crossfire."

"What are you talking about?" He asked, taking a tentative step in her direction.

"I'm talking about this, Diego." She declared and walked to him, taking his hand and placing it over her belly "I'm sorry. But I thought it would be easier if you weren't around."

"You wanted history to repeat itself again." Malia declared, crossing her arms "What do you have to say about this, Diego?"

"You're pregnant?" He asked the brunette in front of him.

"Yes." She confirmed.

"And the child is mine."

"Really, Diego?"

"It wasn't a question, Sky." He said, placing both hands on her belly.

"Yes."

"Why? Why would you keep this from me?" He asked her.

"You heard my reasons, Diego." She declared "And, please, look me in the eyes."

"You... Are the dumbest woman I've ever met." He said.

"What?! I just told you I'm pregnant with your kid, and you're insulting me?! What the hell is wrong with-"

But she never got to finish the sentence because Diego pulled her to him and kissed her. Mouth glued to hers, he moved his lips with passion and ardor, relieved that she was back in his arms. He had meant every single confession that he told her. He never loved Lani. He left Sky because she asked him to. What he had with Lani was past, and sure, he had a kid with her, but that shouldn't dictate his actions on the matter. He was okay with knowing the kid, but he never wanted to be a part of her life. But this child... This child that Sky was carrying... That was the one Diego was going to be a father for.

"I love you to the end of the world and back, Sky." He declared, breaking the kiss "I have being doing so for as long as I can remember, and you just go and break me like this? Knowing that everything I want is to be with you? What is wrong with you? Why did you have to put us through such misery? Why?"

"Because I thought I was doing the right thing. For Cerys. I was trying not to be selfish." She murmured.

"Woman... I'm selfish about you. I can't stand when other men look at you for more than five seconds. Why would you think I would want you to not be selfish about me? Want me, Sky. Love me. Be selfish about me. Don't share me. Because I ain't sharing you."

"Do you love me?" She asked.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Yes. I love you. So much it hurts. So don't break me again. Because I'm not going to be able to pick up the pieces if you do." He whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Are you coming home with me?" She looked up to him.

"If you want me to."

"My baby needs a dad. Yes, I want you to come with me." She stated, smiling.

"I love you."

"I love you too." She spoke, kissing him again.

"Well, old man, I think he's coming with us." Malia said, smirking "C'mon you two! The sun will be down soon enough."

Malia mounted her horse and watched Diego help Sky mount hers, before watching Diego tell a few words to Cerys and mounting with his lover, one hand around her stomach and the other holding the reins of the horse. Waving at the gaping elder, the icy blue eyed woman ordered her horse to run, and took off. Seeing the two horses take off fast, Cerys took her mother's hand and smiled up to her, asking:

"Mommy, wasn't that man your boyfriend? Then why is he leaving with another woman?"

"He wasn't my boyfriend, sweetie. It was a man that I knew. And he left with that woman... Because he loves her. With all his heart."

"Was he really my father?"

"Yes. Yes, he is your father. And I wanted him to be a part of your life."

"But mommy... I did just fine so far. Why would I need a father when I have you?" She asked. Lani smiled and took a knee in front of her child, caressing her hair and declaring:

"Thank you."

* * *

 **A/N: There you have people! Skyego is a reality again! What's on for the next adventure of the couple and our heroes? Stick around to find out!  
I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	24. Chapter 24: BABY

**College is a urban myth created to fuck you in the butthole with the amount of work it gives you... I swear.**

 **What's up guys, it's your girl LoneeWolf and I'm back to another chapter! So, shout out to who thought Malia was going to kick the living lights of Diego? PRESENT! Hehe. It was a challenging chapter to write and I begin to apologize for the somewhat OOC that it may have :) That being said, my love to the people that still put up with me and my incurable romantic soul!**

 **Okay, today's chapter is a sum up of what has been happening in these last few... weeks? Yeah, that's it. Anyway, REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, lemme start with a thank you for the compliment. Second, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and please do speak it. Third, let's talk. I speak from personal experience when I say that you do not need your father when growing up. I understand that there are cultural differences and you may not see it that way, but I do. I did grew up with my mom, my dad and my brother, but other than that, my family never mattered much to me, because they weren't the ones that loved me and helped me grow up. And about Cerys reacting that way... Kids are strong. And they adapt very easily. And they are also very smart. Trust me, I know. I hope you don't get mad at me, (PWEASE DO'T BE MAD) and I hope that was a good answer :)**

 **\- humanoid, thank you, I'm glad you liked it :D**

 **\- Harley-SA, I'm glad you like Diego again. And I will NOT let up stop with the werewolf/mate stories! You cannot! I'm addicted to those too, you're not alone ;)**

 **That is it for today, I hope you like it and...**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 24: BABY**

* * *

"You really dare to show your face here after what you've done with Sky?!" Aida shouted, watching the two girls arrive with Diego.

"Aida, it's not like that." Malia quickly intervene before the noble could pull out her daggers "Sky came clean on why she pushed Diego away, and you need to hear her explanation."

"What is it, then?" She asked, and Diego wrapped his hand around Sky's stomach and kissed her shoulder before Malia announced "She's pregnant with Diego's child."

"WHAT?!" Aida let out, her hands turning in to fists with a blink of an eye.

"Are you serious?" Jace asked, grabbing Aida's waist and pulling her to himself.

"Serious as I can ever be." Diego nodded "Sky is carrying my child."

"You mutt, double-faced asshole! How could you?!"

"Aida, calm down." Zander said "This happened a while ago, as far as Tillie and I can tell, and there was nothing you could do to stop it. They are responsible adults, woman. Get it together."

"Speaking of Tillie, where is she?" Sky asked, looking up to Zander.

"She's on a shopping spree to make sure that your unborn baby has everything it needs." Malia sighed "Besides, let her. It will help her take Airdan off of her mind."

"What do you mean?" Diego frowned "What did Airdan do?"

"What are you talking about? You sent him on that three months mission to that… Island filled with women." Malia frowned.

"I did not. I told him to leave the mission behind, that Tillie needed him more than that stupid mission. I told him I was going to give that mission to Kole. It would be a lot easier, and he'd be a lot safer than the rest of these guys." Diego shook his head.

"Who's Kole? I never heard of him." The bronze haired woman asked.

"Oh, he's a member of the Eagles. He's been around for a while, don't tell me you don't know him."

"Not by name I don't."

"Blind redhead Kaleik?" Diego tried.

"Oh, Mister Speed Punch! The one with a crush on me? Damn, it's been a while since I've seen him…" Malia laughed, not noticing the way that Zander's grip tightened on her waist.

"Yeah… I think he might be around Northcliff, though. I haven't heard from him in a while, so yeah. But I told Kole the mission was for him. Why would Airdan take it? I swear, sometimes moonies are weird. No offence, Zander."

"Didn't take it." The male nodded "Maybe I should go and check on Tillie. I have the feeling she will be wanting to talk."

"Okay, Zander. Hurry back though. I want to practice." She smiled, and turned to Jace, saying "I need to talk to you."

"Okay…" the blond frowned, but followed her into the kitchen quietly, closing the door behind himself.

"I'm going to rest." Sky said "I'm tired from the trip."

"I'll go with you," Diego smiled, but was immediately grabbed by Aida, who exclaimed "No you won't! I want to train and Jace is not available. Let's go."

.~.~.

The markets were loud, Zander had to admit that much. Salesmen trying to overcome each other's powerful voices with their own, making the streets of Adeshia noisy and disturbing for one that was not used to such. He immediately found the lass he was looking for, standing in front of a table and holding up a piece of cloth. When he got closer, he realized it wasn't just any clothe. She was holding a light-yellow baby singlet, with a small drawing of a teddy bear on the chest area.

"Tillie… Really? Already? You don't even know if the child is a boy or a girl." Zander sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I know! And that is why I'm looking for neutral colors, colors that don't define gender! I mean, yellow is a very pretty color, don't you think?" she beamed at him.

"Yes, it's very pretty. But Til-"

"And besides, if we wait too long, you might not have everything the baby need! So, I, as the person that will take responsibility for the comfort and wellbeing of the child, must assure that he or she has such!" the redhead spoke.

"Need help?" he sighed.

"I need your wallet." She smirked.

"No. My money is all for Malia, you should know that by now." The moon elf refused.

"Oh, come on, Zander! It's not like she's going to use it! She's a simple woman, she doesn't need jewelry to live. But I need money to pay for all the clothes I'm going to buy!" Tillie insisted.

"Why don't you just rip off Airdan's wallet then? He's your man, not me."

"Well, he's not here." The girl said, turning away from him for a second "You are. Please, Zander."

"I'm sorry, Tillie." He shook his head "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really. We got together and he left for yet another mission. Am I doing something wrong, Zander? Am I pushing him away with my focus on Aida's powers and this life we lead? Maybe he doesn't love me anymore…"

"Tillie, don't say that…" Zander turned her and held her face in his hands "Airdan loves you, I'm sure of it. But maybe because of his profession, he tends to hide his own emotions. I've seen Diego do the same. Maybe he's just scared of commitment. I can understand that."

"He shouldn't be. I mean, he asked me to move in with him a while back." Tillie told him, paying for the singlet and leaving the stand.

"I didn't know that… Have you talked to him about that?" Zander suggested.

"I can't. Whenever I'm with him, my mouth is too occupied with his to even let out a single word other than his name." The girl frowned.

"Oh, too much information, Tillie. Really?"

"But it's true." The woman said, grabbing a grey baby bodysuit and placing it inside her bag, paying for it and walking away.

"Fine, but still. Next time he does that, push him away. Nothing gets a guy listening better than denied sex. That or tears." He declared.

"Is that an experience I'm hearing in your voice, Zander?" Tillie teased.

"Yes. Malia wanted to talk to me into inviting Calida for the wedding and I was just full with… Lust. It had been a rough day."

"Naughty boy…" Tillie laughed, and pointed at another stand, Zander trailing behind her and shaking his head.

By the end of the shopping spree, Tillie's wallet was completely empty and Zander's one was half as light, but their arms were full with bags that had the clothes Tillie had fun buying: 3 singlets, light yellow, pale green and white, 2 bodysuits, a grey one and a pink one, two jumpers, lilac and blue, and 4 or 5 pairs of socks. Walking happily back to the house, Tillie quickly called Sky to show her the purchases, and Malia joined them, leaving Zander and Jace to cook dinner.

.~.~.

"Here comes, pretty boy!" Aida exclaimed, throwing a dagger at Diego, who managed to escape the line of fire and punch the half noble in the gut, sending her against the wall of the nearest building.

"Is that all you've got, Aida? Come on, you asked for this!" he teased, and jumped to escape the kick she sent in his direction.

"I'm nowhere finished, mutt face!"

The fight continued for another handful of minutes, with kicks and punches flying everywhere, and Aida's daggers constantly flying. Diego was fighting with his bare hands, and Aida went for the help of her dear blades, but was understanding that was easier to fight with one dagger and another clear hand, since one of the blades was loving to be stuck against the wall. Sending a final punch in Diego's direction, the woman growled when he blocked it, but didn't give up as she stuck a dagger on his bare chest, stopping inches away from the skin.

"I win."

"Yeah, you did, alright." Diego sighed, and let go of her "Nice work, Aida."

"Thanks, mutt face." She said, sitting down on the floor with her back against a decaying building.

"Anytime. It was fun." Diego smirked, and pulled her dagger out of the wall and gave it to the woman, before sitting down next to her.

"Diego?"

"What?"

"What are you going to do?" Aida asked.

"About what?"

"About Sky's child."

"You mean, mine and Sky's child." Diego corrected.

"No, I mean Sky's unborn baby."

"Aida, let's get one thing straight. The baby Sky is carrying is mine. And I will not deny it, I will not refuse it, and I will not leave the child alone. I'm the father, I have responsibilities." Diego declared.

"Look at me in the eye and tell me you're not going to bail out at the last minute." She scolded. The man moved to grasp her chin and made her look at him in the eye before declaring:

"I'm not going to bail out at the last minute. Sky is my woman carrying my kid. I will not leave them alone."

"Oh really? What about Lani?"

"For fuck's sake, Lani left ME. Not the other way around. And I didn't even _know_ that she was pregnant until Catalina told me. Okay? So drop it. It's over, Aida."

"Fine…" she girl sighed "What do you think about this?"

"About what?"

"Malia and Zander getting married. I mean, it's kind of… Unexpected. I get the whole 'fire claim' thing, but come on…"

"Yeah, I see your point. It's hard on me too to grasp my head around the fact that Adeshia's biggest player is settling down. But it's what they want. And they love each other, so why not?"

"You really think so?" Aida asked.

"Yeah. I mean, whenever Malia looks at Zander, it's like she's seeing him for the first time ever. She sounds just like a little girl whenever she talks to me about him. Really. It kind of pisses me off."

"Yeah, same. My desire to hear about Zander's perfect body and his baby blue eyes and his beautiful raven hair has a limit. And I don't think Malia knows that."

"Watch it, woman. Jace might hear you speak about the elf that way and might not like it." Diego joked.

"I don't think he would care at all." Aida sighed.

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"I feel like we've been drifting apart, Diego. Like we're not the same we used to be before. It worries me that we don't have the same link that we used to have… I miss the old days, when me and him were always teasing each other and messing around. My fear was losing that if we ever got into a relationship and look. My fear came true. I should have never listened to Malia…"

"Aida, don't be stupid."

"What?"

"Look, besides what other people might think… I know my brother. And he loves you. I can see it in his eyes whenever he looks at you. Maybe he's just… Afraid. And I could bet my right hand on the fact that it's exactly what's going on. I know Jace. And whenever commitment shows up at his door, he gets cold feet. It's normal, really. But every single time he got them, he got over them. Most of the times with my help. Want me to talk to him?"

"No, it's okay… I think I can do it."

"Then I have one advice for you. Put him against the wall. Pressure him into talking to you and don't let him get away. He's like a scared cat. He will run away if he sees the chance."

"Thanks, Diego." Aida smiled "I will do that."

"You're welcome. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to check on my baby momma. I miss her." He smirked and got up, dusting himself off.

"Idiot." Aida smiled and watched him walk away in the house's direction.

* * *

 **A/N: I wonder what's going to happen in the next chapter? Oh, well, let me go and start writing it ;)  
I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	25. Chapter 25: Faelern N Rox

**Vacation, finally...**

 **What's up, people, it's your girl LoneeWolf and I'm back to post another chapter! (finally) So, a lot of shit has been going down this year. And it's almost over, because Christmas is right at our door! Who's ready for some gift-giving and lots of calories? I, for once, can say that I fit that category. Gosh, I have such a sweet tooth... But hey, anything for candy! Hehe.**

 **So, last chapter was... Interesting. We had a little review of everything and we had Tillie shopping for baby clothing! Isn't that cute? Anyway, today's chapter will be about remembering old links and bringing yet another character from the Visual Novel into this story! Who's ready to meet another race? I'm just gonna leave stuff here and get going with-**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, I missed you like hell! (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ gimme a hug! And I'm glad you're liking this story!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thank you for your words :***

 **\- Harley-SA, I'm glad you liked the interaction between Aida and Diego. I feel bad for Tillie too, so let's hope everything will work out at the end.**

 **\- humanoid, OKAY I AGREE WITH YOU! Ahaha You're awesome and you're right :D**

 **\- STA25, I'm sure too, so let's hope for that :)**

 **With nothing else to say and with a huge itch go dive under the tree and open the presents, I hereby shout a MERRY CHRISTMAS FOR YOU AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!**  
 **(make sure you don't get _too_ drunk, because some of us have to work the next day...)**

 **Love you all aaaaand**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 25: Faelern N Rox**

* * *

"What. Is that. Shit. You're talking."

In the busy streets of Adeshia, two of our heroes walked in a quick pace to make it home for lunch. Which wasn't proving itself to be an easy task, since it seemed that it was the day that every merchant on earth decided to target them to get them to buy stuff. That's the way consumerism works, learn it kids. The busier and more moneyless you are, the more people will ask you to buy stuff. Anyway, let's give a name and a face to these two heroes, shall we?

"It's true, I swear!"

"Shut the front door, Aida. That shit don't happen."

"I swear on the life of my brother, Malia!" the noble said "Wait, never mind that, I do want Kael to die. I swear on Seena's grave!"

"Leave Minnie out of this, you dirty minded noble!" Malia slapped her arm.

"What does dirty mind have to do with me swearing on Seena?"

"What you're saying can come true one day, lazy. Don't swear of Seena. Swear on me that I might be gone sooner than everyone thinks."

It was Aida's time to hit Malia "Fuck you talking about, bitch-face?!"

"Who you calling bitch-face, Shit-eater?!"

"Shit-eater?! You're nothing but a Fucktard!"

"AH! Look who's talking Fucklet!"

"WHAT?!" Aida let out "Seriously, what the hell is that?"

"I usually call that to the kids that are pissing me off." Malia shrugged "But I'm serious, though."

"Why?" the white-haired woman asked.

"I don't know… I woke up with a nagging feeling today." Malia sighed.

"Are you sure it wasn't Zander poking you?" Aida asked.

"No, he got satisfied last night. Which is an accomplishment, because I swear that guy has the stamina of a god."

"You serious?" the noble raised an eyebrow.

"Dead serious." The rogue said, smirking "No pun intended."

"Oh, I hate you." Aida smirked, wrapping an arm around Malia's shoulders and moving out of the way for a couple to walk by "What do you think lunch is?"

"I don't know…" Malia shrugged.

"As long as Tillie isn't cooking!" the two said in unison, pointing at each other after and laughing.

"I love us." Aida shook her head.

"I love us too, but right now, I love food more." The blue-eyed girl said "So hurry that ass and let's go."

.~.~.

They had just finished lunch when a knock on the door was heard. Everyone looked over, but Seena was the only one that moved to answer, the others just shrugged and got up from the table, beginning to tidy the dishes. A rustling sound was heard and a yelp followed, but they didn't see Seena anywhere. She must have stepped out of the door to greet the visitor and was yet to come back. Placing the dishes on the sink, Zander wrapped an arm around Malia's waist and pulled her in, kissing her on the lips out of the blue.

"What was that all about, love?" Malia asked when they broke away.

"Thank you for last night." He smiled, and kissed her nose.

"Of course, Pyro, but I'ma start asking for rewards if you keep me up this late." She winked.

"Oh, I can give you those rewards right now. Let's go to our room." He bit his lip.

"Nah, I'm full. You know I don't like to move a lot when I'm full." Malia laughed and broke away from him, walking to Sky to help her with the glasses.

"Thanks, Malia." The brunette smiled "You're too nice."

"Oh, anytime, beautiful. I never got a chance to properly thank you for the bracelet. So, thank you. You really didn't have to." The bronze haired girl messed with her locks.

"Oh, it was the least I could do! I'm glad I could do something to help you. And besides, I could use another enchanting request. After learning that I was pregnant, Diego doesn't let me do anything! I feel like a glorified pet! Any suggestions?" Sky asked.

"Okay. Here," Malia said, removing her dagger from her hilt "enchant this. Make it look creepy. And as to Diego? Fuck him. Nothing gets a man off your back faster than a fuck."

"But… But I'm pregnant…"

"You're not that far. You can still have sex, but take it slow."

"Okay, thank you." Sky smiled, kissing her cheek and grabbing a couple of glasses.

As soon as the movement was made, someone entered the opened front door. Two people and one of them was holding Seena in their arms. The first one was a man. His skin was tanned and marked with curvy faded white tattoos of leaves on his left eye and torso. His eyes were deep and cold, colored green and his lips were set in a firm line. His hair was hazel colored, loose and reached his shoulder. He wore a brown harness over his naked chest that held a bow and quiver with arrows. A pair of dark green pants and brown boots completed the look, a grey belt holding the pants.

The second one, the one holding Seena, was a woman. Her skin was lightly tanned and her eyes were light brown, glowing mischievously. Her hair was dark brown and was pulled up in a ponytail, two pointy dog ears flickering at the top of her head. She wore a white ruffle neck, a pink tube top, black pants with two metallic bands on her left thigh, brown boots and handless black gloves that went all the way to the upper arm.

"A sun elf and a… Lith?" Malia let out, frowning.

"Faelern!" Sky said, smiling brightly and pulling down the items she was holding, to run to him and hug him.

"Sky." A rough voice spoke, hugging her back softly before letting go "It's good to see you again."

"Same! Where have you been?" she asked.

"Around Arunia. Been in a little bit of all countries. And you?"

"Valond, mostly… Northcliff, Ildis. And now Adeshia. Mostly because of Malia."

"Who's Malia?" Faelern frowned.

"Oh, the bronze haired girl standing over there." The brunette pointed.

"Sup?"

"Good afternoon." Faelern nodded "I also have someone I would like you to meet. This is Roxanne."

"Hello." A soft voice said, coming from the Lith that was putting Seena down. "It's an immense pleasure to meet you."

"Hey." Everyone replied.

"Rox, these are Malia, apparently, Zander, Tillie, you've met Seena, Sky, Diego, Aida and…"

"Jace." The Lith smiled, raising her head and winking at the knight "I know who he is."

"And I know who you are." He smirked, walking to her and wrapping his arms around her tightly. "God, it's been forever, Roxy."

"Too long. We should have met before, seriously." She smiled, hiding her face in his chest.

"Well, isn't this a happy reunion?" Aida barked, frowning and crossing her arms "Pleasure. Hey Elf."

"Solyn." He nodded in her direction, before sending off a tiny smirk, to which made Aida roll her eyes.

"So… How do you know each other?" Tillie asked.

.~.~.

"We met in Taran, a couple of months ago, almost a year." Roxanne smiled, taking the cup of tea Tillie had offered her "I was in Ellon back then. You are familiar with the Ellon leaks, no?"

"Enlighten us." Sky smiled.

"Ellon is still a very powerful village when it comes to trading markets. I mean, they have the biggest reservation of gold in all Taran, but… They treat their own people like slaves. The minimal age to grab a pick is four years old. Mostly because the children are tinier and can enter small holes. I was there, trying to negotiate with their leader a more reasonable age to begin the work, but he wouldn't bulge. So, I started sneaking them out."

"The children?"

"Yes. I would choose a few every month and I would track down someone that could keep them and help them out of Ellon. The rest of the month was spent confusing the leader of the village into not knowing where the children went. One night, I was helping this two little girls, Samara and Tamiya, and he found us. I thought I was as good as dead, but my biggest fear was for the children. I closed my eyes when he raised that scythe at me. But I never felt pain. When I opened my eyes, I saw Faelern grabbing the scythe and the girls were hiding behind him."

"Are we talking about the same Faelern?" Tillie frowned.

"Don't ask me, I don't know the guy." Malia shrugged, cleaning her nails with the tip of her dagger "What else? What happened to the girls?"

"I took them to the place they were supposed to stay and me and Faelern went back to the village to break all of the kids free. We ended up bringing the whole village with us. I took them to a refugee's camp and they made life there. Me and Faelern stayed for a while, getting to know each other better and helping them, and when I decided they could continue without me, Faelern asked if I would like to join him in his quest. I said yes, and here we are."

"That's so sweet!" Sky exclaimed, giggling.

"Yeah, but weird. You're a Lith. Why would the leader not forced you to work as well?" Malia frowned.

"I don't know. I never asked myself that. Maybe he thought I wasn't strong enough to bare the work of the mine?" Roxanne suggested.

"And four-year-old kids were?" the blue-eyed woman rose an eyebrow "He had a thing on you."

"Well, I… That matters little to me. I'm… I'm with Faelern now. I have no wish to trade him for another man." The Lith rose her head and smiled, but Malia only shrugged and looked back down to her dagger.

"Forgive my friend, Roxanne…" Tillie smiled, giving Malia a warning look "She's Adeshian, you know that they are not very trust-giving at first sight."

"I'm aware of said fact, do not fret." The woman said "I heard you were like Kaleiks. You only trust your band."

"We're messier than Kaleiks. Even in our band, we fight. But that's because we love each other. Which brings me to the next question." Malia said, sitting straight and stabbing the table with her knife, making the Lith yelp "What is up with you and Jace?"

"Jace?" she asked, frowning "Why, do you fancy him? Should I be worried about you attacking me?"

"No, I'm all set, love. See this ring?" Malia flashed her left hand "I'm marrying Zander. I'm tryna protect you from the angry noble on the other room. And that one you should be worried about…"

"Oh… Okay. Well…"

.~.~.

"What is up with you and Roxanne?" Faelern asked, frowning.

"Why, you've got a crush on her or something?" Jace replied.

"Or something. Answer my question."

"We go a while back. Your turn."

"How did you meet?"

"Faelern, you know I'm with Aida, right?" Jace asked.

"Answer my question." The sun elf said.

"I was… Young. I don't remember how old I was, but it was in that transition of orphan to knight. I was wandering hungry at night in Valond, Roxanne showed up and stole a bread for me. We shared. Every night after that we were together. Until I was selected for Taran, as a miniature guard, and she came with me. When my mission ended, she stayed and I went back to Valond." Jace explained.

"You… Were together? As is… Romance?"

"Dude, I told you. Leaving aside all the women that I've had in my chambers that left the morning after, I had no one else but Aida." Jace smirked "Are you in love with Roxy? Because I need to know. She's my little sister after all."

"Jace. Shut up. You'll do everyone a favor." Faelern growled.

"Keep talking shit to me like that and I'm going to tell Roxy about it. I'm pretty sure you don't want her mad at you, Grandpa." Jace smirked.

"You're impossible." The elf told him, turning away and leaving the room.

"What I thought. _Roxyyy_!" Jace exclaimed, smiling widely "Where are you? I miss my little sis!"

.~.~.

One man ventured himself inside the dark tavern, ignoring the prying looks he received the second he stepped foot in that disgusting place. The smell of vomit and beer filled the air, making him want to grab his nose to protect himself, even just a little bit. Sitting down on the counter and asking for a beer, he looked around to try and find the people he was after. Drinking a sip and shaking his head to gain courage, he called the bartender.

"What can I get'chu?"

"I'm looking for someone."

"I know nothing, kid." He said, grabbing a glass to clean.

"I'm willing to pay for the information." He declared.

"I'm listening."

"Hum, he goes by the name of Kali Blake. Where can I find him?" he asked, placing a bag of gold on top of the counter.

"I don't know what's going on in your life, kid…" the bartender shook his head, taking the bag and pocketing it "but nothing is good enough reason to meddle with that guy. He's over there in that table."

"Thank you. And you're right." He shook his head, standing up "You don't know what's going on in my life."

He walked out of the counter to cross the tavern with strong and firm steps, only to be stopped with a small hand on his chest. Looking down and seeing a figure covered with a dark cape, he spoke "I have business to take care of with Kali Blake."

"What business?" the figure asked.

"I… I want to destroy someone. And I need your help."

"You can leave now. Kali Blake doesn't do personal vendettas." The figure spoke.

"He might have an interest in this. Doing so for me, you can help bring down the most powerful cartel in Adeshia. The Eagles. The person I'm seeking to destroy is in the middle."

"Let him pass, Thorn." Another voice said, belonging to a cloaked man sitting on a table having a quiet meal "Take a seat."

"Hum, are you Kali Blake?" the man asked, sitting across him.

"What's your name first, child? I'd like to know who has requested me."

"Ryker. Sir, I'm looking to destroy-"

"Ryker, before we go further into business… How are you enjoying the staying here in Northcliff? Do you like it?" the man asked.

"I do. It's nice. Lots of women." He smirked.

"Good, that's very good. An Adeshian man must take advantage of every source of power he can. Tell me, where are you staying?"

"Hum, near the Falcon. I've rented a room there." He answered.

"Good, that's good." He nodded "So, let's talk. Thorn has said that we don't do personal vendettas, and she has every point. I do not meddle with family business. Why is yours different?"

"You know the Eagles, right?" Ryker asked, fishing a piece of paper from his pocket.

"Of course. I've been bothered by them once or twice. Why?"

"There's this girl… If we're successful in destroying her, we can take down the Eagles. I know we can, and if you just let me…"

"Child." The man wiped his mouth "Destroy is a very powerful word. Why use it, instead of kill?"

"Because death would be a relief for her. I want her stripped of everything she is. I want her crushed under the weight of people she loved, dead. I want her _begging_ me to kill her. Can I have your help?"

"Wow, you sure hold a grudge against that girl." The man looked surprised "What's her name?"

"Boss, we don't have time for this. It's just a stupid vendetta." Thorn said.

"Now, now Thorn. The man asked for help. The name?"

"I can do even better." Ryker said, showing him the piece of paper "This is her."

"Thorn, get Zeke." The man said, as soon as he saw the person on the picture "We're gonna help him."

"But sir…"

"Really?"

"Go. Yes, Ryker. What's her name again?"

"She's known as Rogue. But her real name is Malia."

* * *

 **A/N: Just when peace begins to enter our lives, I go and fuck this all shit up. Who's ready for some mystery? And who wants to beat the crap out of Ryker? *raises hand* stick around to find out who are these people!  
I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :) AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!** ❄❄❄❄❄ **ʕ•͡ᴥ•ʔ ＼(＾O＾)／** ❄ ❄❄❄❄


	26. Chapter 26: Fight

**Someone's gonna nail my ass to the wall once I'm done with this chapter...**

 **What's up ya'll, this is your girl LoneeWolf and I'm back for another chapter! I know, I should have posted this like a gazillion years ago, but I have to tell you about something called 'writer's block'. It's a real pain in the ass, I must tell you and I only managed to finish this up today and I'm posting it right now, as you can see. It was hard, and I still have a little of the writer's block, but I'll try my best, okay? I promise.**

 **I wanna thank two very special people in my life for this chapter. Number one, shout out to my girl LadyDiamond92 for pushing me into writing again. Second, a big kiss to my homeboy MS009 for helping me with the fight scene. And if you know his writing style, then baby, you are off to a hell of a ride. And that also means that you know just what kind of shit is going down in this chapter.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, love you too! Kisses, and tell me what do you think about this chapter!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, you think that the bad guys will attack during the wedding? I don't know, let's see...**

 **\- humanoid, I'm glad you liked it. Hum, I love Malia and Aida's relationship too, and you will see more of it this chapter!**

 **\- Harley-SA, no worries, I won't let Faelern kill you. And about Rox... Let's see if that opinion changes after this chapter ;) and I think you're right about Ryker...**

 **That should be all for today. I hope you like it and...**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 26: Fight.**

* * *

"I still think you should just pop up and go talk to him." Sky shrugged, moving a brown curl off her face.

"You know he's not that kind of person…" Aida sighed, scratching her cheek.

"Aida, I'm gonna be honest with you." Sky sat up "It's in the middle of the night and I'm just saying words to get you to get out of my room and let me go to sleep. I'm pregnant, I'm tired, and I'm moody. I'm five seconds away from kicking you out of my room and pull you by your ear to Jace's room and lock you in there to make you talk to him. After I do that, I'm gonna wake Diego up and I'm gonna keep him up all night, so that he can blame you tomorrow for his insomnia. Okay?"

"I'm sorry, Sky." The noble looked to her hands and got up "I'll let you go to sleep. Thank you for listening…"

"Aida…" the brunette called "Go talk to him. You need to."

"Okay."

It wasn't long before her feet were guiding her in the direction of the male's room. It was easy to get there because apparently, her brain had already memorized every path that led there. Every turn, every curve, every hallway. And there she was. Standing in front of the dark wooden door, waiting for her to raise her hand and knock on it. Just… Waiting. But the green-eyed woman didn't seem to make up her mind; she wanted to knock, but she was fearful. She wanted to see him and come clean, but another part of her worried that he thought she was weak at the heart. But everything stopped when she heard a knock on the wood and turned to the side.

"You're welcome." Malia whispered, and disappeared in the shadows.

"Oh… Damn it, Ma-" Aida started, but stopped herself when the door in front of her opened.

"Aida?" a hoarse voice called out "You need anything?"

"Jace…" the woman let out, looking at the blond in front of her "Yeah, I mean, no. I'm fine. Sorry. Just go back to sleep."

"Aida." He called, reaching out to grasp her wrist "Come here."

"What is it?" she asked, turning to him.

"Is everything okay?" he frowned, locking his blue eyes with hers.

'No, everything is not okay' was what she wanted to say. She wanted to let everything out, she wanted to come clean. She wanted to shout at him, ask him what was wrong with him. Why was he leaving her like this, broken and helpless, like a child. Like the child she once was, covered in dirt and tears, after all that she loved was taken from her. After she lost herself in the darkness of life, before she encountered her Eanna's given solace. But she didn't. She didn't because she was, in the depths of her core, a coward. She could fight, rob, kill, take and face any monster of the world, but she could never face her feelings.

"Yeah." She whispered, lowering her eyes to the ground "Just fine."

"Aida…" he sighed, but when he realized she wasn't going to talk to him, he asked "My bed is getting cold. Wanna help me warm it up?"

"Okay…" she nodded, and entered the room with him, shutting the door behind herself. After lying in bed with her head resting on his chest and his arms around her, she whispered "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Jace?"

"Yeah?"

"I think the bed is warm now…" she sighed, trying to get up.

"No, it isn't." he growled, and pulled her back down, wrapping both arms around her and pulling her to him, nuzzling her hair "It'll take at least three hours. You should sleep in the meantime…"

"Jace…" Aida let out, but allowed herself to relax in Jace's arms, wiping her eyes quickly when tears escaped them.

 **.~.~.**

"Yeah, you can never be so sure about such a thing…"

"Sure, but I sure as hell can try." Diego argues "There's nothing I want more in my life."

"But know that it's a great responsibility."

"Of course it's a great responsibility! It's a baby, for Eanna's sake! It still freaks me out though, how Sky is growing a fully functional, living human being inside her."

"She didn't do all the work alone, though. You have to help."

"Duh, I know that! I just-"

"No way." A voice said "Kole?"

"Miss Aida!" the male exclaimed and stood up.

His skin was tanned and his hair was red, shaved on both sides of the head, but still reached his shoulders. His eyes were white, showing his Kaleik heritage, and his right one was surrounded by a 'C' shaped tattoo. He wore a tight high collar sleeveless dark grey shirt, black pants, grey belt and dark boots, his right hand and forearm wrapped in bandages. He walked to Aida and opened his arms, letting the woman hug him tight. Smiling and wrapping his arms around her, Kole sighed.

"It's been forever, Miss Aida."

"You can say that again." She smiled "And Kole, what did I say about calling me 'miss'?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help it." He chuckled, releasing her "Where's Jace?"

"Not sure."

"Zander?"

"Working."

"Tillie?"

"With Sky, swooning over baby clothes."

"Seena?"

"With Faelern and Roxanne."

"Who's Roxanne?"

"Faelern's new girlfriend. At least that the currently ongoing bet." Aida chuckled "And Zander is getting some too. You probably don't know her, but I'll introduce you. I knew her, from back in childhood. She's a bigshot here. She's known as 'Rogue'. She's part of the Eagles, I think you know her."

"Rogue? You know Miss Rogue from your childhood?"

"You know her?"

"Know her? He had a massive crush on her!" Diego laughed, dodging a punch that the Kaleik threw in his direction.

"Really?! Well, too bad, because you can't act on it now. She's engaged with Zander." Aida scratched her head.

"She is? Oh, I'm so happy!" he exclaimed "Where is she? I want to give her my congrats!"

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. Are my eyes deceiving me or is this the mighty Kole standing in front of me?"

"I'd know that proud and daring voice anywhere." Kole smiled "Miss Rogue."

"Mr. Kole." She laughed "It's been a while."

"Give me a hug, I missed you." He said, and two arms were wrapped immediately around his midsection.

"You look good, cutie." She declared, and looked up to his full white eyes.

"I wish I could say the same, honey." He smirked "But I feel your happiness. I'm so glad."

"Aida told you about the engagement?"

"She did. Congratulations, Rogue."

"It's Malia. My real name is Malia. At least that is everyone calls me." She smiled, pulling away.

"But not your real name? Did you find out about your past?"

"Yup. Everything. Who I really am, my parents… I know it now." She told him.

"I want you to tell me everything." He declared "But first, I have someone I want you to meet. The current ongoing bet with Miss Roxanne and Faelern is that they are boyfriend and girlfriend? Well, this person truly is my girlfriend."

"Oh, I gotta meet her. Where she at?" Malia asked, looking around.

"Hum, she's… In the market. Looking at… Clothes? Clothes." He told them and grabbed Malia's hand "Come on."

"I'll never get used to your powerful hearing, I swear." Malia shook her head and allowed Kole to guide her, Diego and Sky towards the markets.

There, like Kole had said, was a young woman looking at clothes. Her skin was pale and her eyes were brown, her hair short and wavy, boysenberry purple colored and pulled in two pigtails. She wore an off-shoulder short sleeved brown top, a dark brown corset, grey pants with a cloth tied around her waist, brown and purple boots and a leather glove on her left forearm, a lilac and gold diamond shaped necklace. In her delicate hands, she held a white shirt, a little too big for her, but she watched it carefully.

"Lys!"

"Kole!" the woman exclaimed, looking in his direction and smiling, putting down the shirt "Where were you?"

"Looking for my friends." He smiled and let go of Malia's hand to stand next to Lys. He put a hand on her shoulder and declared "These are Malia, Aida and Diego."

"I've heard about Aida and Diego, but you never told me about Malia." She frowned, looking up to him.

"Well, I knew her as Rogue."

"OOH! Hi! It's a pleasure to meet you!" she waved frenetically.

"Hi, Lys. It's nice to meet you too. Wanna meet the rest of the guys?"

"Sure, I'd love to! But I think I should probably see a doctor first. No?"

"Kole, you've been playing in the dark, boy?" Malia asked, laughing.

"N-no, it's not like that!" he exclaimed, blushing "She gets seasick very easily. I told her I knew a doctor here, in Adeshia. I just gotta figure out the quickest way to Kyra's clinic."

"Oh, that's easy. Take the markets all the way down and turn left at the Black Swan. It's about two, three blocks down." Malia said, smirking.

"Thanks." He nodded "Where are you guys staying? So that I can meet up later."

"Remember the old house behind the library?"

"Yeah?"

"It's not there. Hum, it's the one near The Silk. The one where you sometimes can still hear the noises if you're quiet enough."

"Oh, that one. Okay, thank you!" he smiled and waved "See you guys around!"

"Kole!" Malia exclaimed, hiding her face in her hands to muffle laughter "Damn it, now you're just playing!" **(A/N: If you haven't realized by now that Kole is blind then homeboy/homegirl... What are you doing?)**

"I know! I'll meet you there. Bye!"

"Bye Kole." The woman shook her head and turned to her friends, smiling "Shall we?"

"Yeah. I wonder what Zander is gonna say when he sees just how close you are to Kole." Aida teased.

"He's gonna shut up and shove a stick up in his ass because I'm engaged to him, not Kole." Malia declared "Come on. I'm hungry."

 **.~.~.**

"Lys?"

"Yes, Seena?"

"What is going on down there?" the little girl asked, flinching at the sound of a glass being broken.

"I honestly don't know, but I won't let you find out. How about this? I'll sing you a song to sleep and make sure none of the noises disturbs you. What do you think?" she suggested, tucking the girl in.

"Usually is Malia the one that does that, but okay…" she smiled. Lys caressed her blond locks and began to sing in a soft voice.

 _You delivered me from the pain_  
 _In my life_  
 _Easy now to recognize_  
 _All the misery I have been through_  
 _It was beating me to submission_  
 _Till the day you arrived_  
 _Suddenly, I felt alive_  
 _Strength I had lost was revived_  
 _and building inside_

As the little Lith began to close her eyes, Lys stood up and breathed to her hand, running her fingers through the wood in the door and whispering an incantation, before smiling and closing it behind herself, letting the little Lith sleep.

 **In the meantime, in the floor below…**

"What the fuck do you mean by that?!"

"I swear I don't know how this house is gonna stay up after these two finish their fight." Tillie muttered, dodging a glass that crashed and broke against the wall.

"I don't know either, and as much as I love Aida, I am **_not_** going to put myself between this cat fight." Malia whispered back.

"You heard exactly what I said, pretty face! I don't know how is such a despicable human being is still breathing! I guess you're the living proof a person can live without a brain!"

"Oh, that ass is going down." Aida growled "Tell me, Roxanne, is your ass jealous of the amount of shit that keeps coming out of your mouth?!"

"Oh! You wanna talk about shit? Faelern told me that you were a great person, and I swear I'd like to see things from your point of view but I can't seem to get my head that far up my ass!"

"You little scrawny bitch, I'm gonna send you back to whatever shithole you crawled out of!" Aida yelled, grabbing a book and throwing it at Roxanne's head.

"It was probably a lot happier and cozier there than the hell you've been living all your life!" she screamed back.

"What on earth is going on?!" Lys asked, kneeling next to Malia and Tillie, that were hiding behind the couch.

"Hum, Roxanne started talking about the 'good old days' with Jace with Tillie and Aida heard and made a sarcastic comment. Roxy there pushed the line and talked back and shit escalated to what you're experiencing right now. But come here and take cover before one of them hits you or worse." Malia said, pulling her to her side.

"Worse?"

"Yeah." Tillie gulped "Make you pick a side."

"Oh Eanna…" Lys sighed and hid herself.

"Bitch, say that to my face one more time, I dare you." Aida growled, and Malia sat upright.

"I said… I don't know what Jace sees in you. Between you and before, he was better off with the whores he fucked every night. At least they didn't complain and bitched all the time like you do. He would be better off with everyone else, hell, even with that friend of yours Malia, but at least she's smart enough to marry a man that is stupid enough to fall for every little stupid thing she does."

"Oh yeah, come say that to my face, you little bitch ass hoe!" Malia exclaimed, standing up and walking to her, shoving the girl against the wall.

"My fight is not with you, but I can give you a piece of my mind too! Seriously, how many times did you open your legs before Zander came along and you decided it was time to play on the big boys' league?"

"I'ma smack this bitch back to Hoeland, I swear." She muttered to Aida, and turned back to Roxanne "I'm sure that it wasn't as many times as the ones you had to bend over to pick up a coin and someone slapped that ass."

"OH! You take that back!"

"Why should I? It's true, isn't it?" she smirked "Stay the fuck away from my happiness, bitch, or you gonna get burned. Bad."

"Malia, get the fuck out of here. It's between me and her." Aida warned.

"You know what, Roxanne? Before that colorful comment of yours, I wasn't gonna do shit, but right now… I don't fucking care anymore. Aida?"

"Yeah?"

"I got your back, babe. Fuck this bitch up." Malia declared, and Aida smirked. She reached back and pulled out her daggers, licking her lips when Roxanne gasped.

But before Aida could throw a blade in her direction, the door burst open and Faelern entered the house, immediately placing himself between Aida and Roxanne. The Lith ducked behind him and started weeping, but before the Sun Elf could start yelling at Aida, Malia walked in front of her and glared hard at the male. 'Touch her, I dare you' her gaze said, and that made him vacillate a bit. But the whimpers of the girl behind him still echoed in his ears, so he decided it was best to say something.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Solyn?!" he asked "Pulling your daggers on an unarmed girl?!"

"She started it!" Aida exclaimed.

"What are you, a five-year-old?!"

"Listen up, buddy, if you wanna lash out on Aida, you gotta go through me first, you hear me?!" Malia threatened.

"Fine." He said, bawling his hands into fists "Bring it."

Malia smirked and pulled out her whip, snapping in in the middle of the air and allowing a line of flames to run through the cord before looking back up to Faelern, her eyes glowing with her fire "Let's go, pretty boy."

"STOP!" Tillie shouted, standing up and walking to them "What is wrong with you?! The girls had a fallout and you are aiming at each other's throat?! Malia, pull the whip back before strangle you with it, and Faelern? Let go of that arrow before I hit you so hard your kid is gonna feel it!"

"She started!"

"Who's the five-year-old now, bitch?" Aida asked, but immediately shut up when Tillie sent her a glare.

"Faelern, it was Roxanne the one that started. Aida made a sarcastic comment, and Roxanne provoked her. Don't blame it on Aida and stop protecting your girlfriend like she's some kind of saint, because we all know she isn't! Everyone in this room, including yourself, knows that the girl behind you has a good pair of devil horns on her head!"

"What the hell is going on in here?"

"Zander!"

"Jace."

"We can explain." Aida and Malia said in unison.

"I can't wait to hear it." The mage rose an eyebrow at his fiancée.

"It was basically Roxanne's fault. She pushed Aida and a fight happened." Lys left her hiding spot and explained to the males "It was between the two until Roxanne brought Malia and you Zander in the picture and she joined the fight. Aida pulled out her daggers and that's when Faelern came in. He… he was ready to lash out on Aida but Malia got in the middle of the two and this was about to go down when Tillie put herself in the middle. And you came in."

"Okay…" Jace said "What did Roxy say, Aida?"

"Bitch claimed that she-"

"Aida! Without insulting my childhood friend, please." Jace frowned.

"I said it must have been a joy to know little Jace and _Roxanne_ " Aida spit out her name like it was poison "Claimed that she knew stuff about you that no one else would ever know, not even his…"

"What?"

"Using your childhood friend's words?" Malia asked "Low. Life. Girlfriend."

"What? Roxy, did you really say that?" Jace frowned.

"Jace, of course not! Do you really believe that I would say something as vile as that?" she asked, pouting.

"I… Why are you lying, Malia?"

"WHAT?!" Aida shouted.

"Bitch, I swear I'ma rip that tongue through your teeth." Malia growled, moving to get Roxanne, but Zander went to her and grabbed her "Zander, let me go!"

"Malia! Why are you trying to deceive me?!" Jace asked.

"You fucking moron, she's the one deceiving you!" Malia pointed at Roxanne "I'm right here and everyone else in this fucking room can confirm that I'm right and you're trusting a bitch that you haven't seen in over fifteen years?!"

"I-"

"Forget it, Malia."

"What?" the woman asked, looking over to Aida, whom was head down and squeezing the hilts of her daggers hard.

"I said forget it. It's clear that his head is so far up in his ass that he can't see past the shit she's throwing at him." She said, placing her daggers back on their sheaths.

"What do you mean by that, Aida?!" Jace asked, mad.

"How can you take the word of a chick that you haven't seen in forever over Malia's?! Or your own girlfriend's?!" she asked, looking up to him and showing him her teary eyes "I can't believe you. She insulted me, she insulted Malia, she insulted all your friends, she even insulted you, and you're taking her side?! Faelern I get, he's head over heels about her, but you?!"

"Aida, Roxanne would never lie to me!" he exclaimed.

"Oh yeah?! Fine, then why don't you just go and fuck her too?! Why don't you just go and be happy with her, take in all of her lies, take in and be with her if you believe her soooo bad! Fuck you, Jace! That's what I got to tell you!" she shouted, pushing a finger in his torso "And when you finally pull your head out of your ass when you figure out it's not a hat, don't come crawling back to me like the little bitch you are! I'm done. Goodbye, Jace."

"Aida!" he shouted, watching her leave "Come back here!"

"No! We're over, Jace! Do whatever comes to your fucking mind! I'm done!" she shouted, and slammed the door behind her.

"I…" he tried, but no one gave him a chance. Tillie walked up to him and stared at him, before raising her hand and slapped him hard; so hard it made him turn his face.

"That right there boy," she told him, pointing at the closed door "was the love of your life walking out on you, because you picked a bitch over her. I hope you're happy, Jace."

* * *

 **A/N: Be real. Who's got the torches out to hunt some sorry LoneeWolf ass? I know I would. And Harley, did you change your mind? Let me know! Gosh, what am I doing with my life... I should probably go to sleep the one night I'm going to have of restful sleep before I have to move away to... IDK India or shit like that. Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Really, I want to know.**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	27. Chapter 27: Plans

**Who's ready for some ass-whooping?**

 **Hey, how are you doing? I'm cool, and the sun is just hiding behind the horizon and that simply means that the real time of the day is going to start! I don't even know what I just said, never mind...**

 **So, a lot has happened since the last time I wrote something here. My birthday, vacation, a breakup, a car crash... So much! But nothing to worry, because Lonee is back and ready to give you the best chapter ever!**

 **So, last chapter was powerful... Aida and Jace breaking up, Roxanne turning out to be a bitch, Jace becoming a blind fool, and lots and lots of tears! I wonder what will happen in this one... Let's find out!**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, you're right, Roxanne is a bit like Sapphire, and I'm glad that you understand the reason why Jace acted like that. I hope you like this chapter!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, I'm glad you liked it, and I missed you too!**

 **\- humanoid, thank you, and why don't you find out...? *wink***

 **With nothing more to say...**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 27: Plans**

* * *

"Nope. I can't do this."

"Come on, Sky! Just one little dip." Malia insisted.

"I…"

"Malia, she's pregnant! You need to stop treating her like she's a soldier!" Tillie argued.

"And you need to stop treating her like she's a freaking dainty flower!" Malia declared, turning to Tillie "She can still throw a punch, I've seen Diego's black eye. Now Sky… JUMP!"

The girl let out a yelp and jumped. They were at the top of a sand dune, in the middle of the Adeshian desert, and Sky had just jumped in order to slide down like a child. They were currently on a mission to track down a group that got lost in the desert on their way to Adeshia. And since neither Aida or Diego was available and Zander needed a good night's sleep, she chose to bring the two girls with her. Turning to Tillie and pushing her out of the dune, Malia followed Sky's example and laughed when she got down there and saw the two girls glaring at her.

"What?" the bronze haired girl let out.

"Remind me again why _we_ have to do this." Tillie asked.

"Because of all the reasons above and because I can't find Jace anywhere. If I could, I would complete the mission and make sure he got back together with Aida, but I can't find him anywhere." Malia said, wiping the sweat from her face.

"Did you check all of the taverns in Adeshia? He might be in one." Sky suggested, dusting herself off.

"Why would he be in a tavern? I mean, he's not one of drinking his sorrows away, is he?"

"It's clear that you didn't meet Jace before we found him." Tillie shook her head "He was a drunken bastard before we found him, and it was thanks to Aida that he got back on his feet. Now that he lost her… I'm not sure what he's going to do."

"Well, tough luck buddy, he did that to himself. I swear, I never thought that Roxanne could be such a bitch." Sky let out, stretching "Malia, where did you say they were?"

"Near the big stone of wisdom" she said "And we still have a while to walk, so get those butts moving." Malia declared, walking three steps to the right before looking up and walking left.

"She has no idea where she's going, does she?" Sky whispered in Tillie's ear.

"I hope she does, because otherwise one more dead body will be dropping in the desert by the end of this day." The dwarf threatened, before following the rogue mage.

 **.~.~.**

The door of the house where the group was staying opened harshly and the three women entered the house, groaning and shaking off the desert's sand from their clothes. Seena looked up from her position on the couch and gasped, taping Lys's hand and making her up in the direction of the three girls. The crimson haired woman immediately stood up and walked to them, frowning at their state, but helped them inside the house nevertheless. Sky was shaking off the dirt from her hair, Tillie was squirming inside her clothes and Malia had a murderous look on her face. Setting the three with a nice seat on the couch and with a glass of water, Lys kneeled in front of them.

"Do I want to know what happened?" she asked.

"Malia was asked to retrieve a group that got lost in the desert, and she asked _us_ -" Sky told her, pulling out her boot and dump the sand that was inside of it on the floor "To help her. I guess she didn't remember that Kole and Faelern were around. And we went and helped her."

"We took half a day to find them." Tillie continued, shedding herself of the dirty clothes "And when we finally did, it took us another fifteen minutes, because apparently, those guys spoke a different language. When Malia found out the language they were speaking, she started talking to them in their language and announced that we were sent to get them in the right tracks again…"

"They started laughing. And then began to talk in **our** language and say that they weren't lost, that they were exploring the desert. They even showed us the map they had. No need to say, me and Tillie had to grab Malia to make sure she wasn't going to jump on them, and I asked them to follow us back to Adeshia. They did, but apparently, it's common for their people to stop every **fifteen** minutes to look around, take some sand in silly glass jars, let out stupid exclamations, and then turn around to look at what we walked and make a poem out of it!"

"When we finally got here," Tillie finished "Malia let the city guards in charge of the group and decided to punch some random guy on the streets just to clear out some anger. No need to say that the two got into a fight and now we have to pay for the damages on the façade of _some_ merchant."

"Sounds like a rough day." Lys said, smiling sadly and caressing Sky's knee "How about I prepare you three a nice soak? You look like you need one."

"Yes, please." Malia let out, groaning.

"Perfect! I'll be right back!" the young woman chirped and hopped to the back, where the private bath house was.

"That bad?" Seena asked, sitting on the sofa next to Malia.

"The worst. Where's Zander, Minnie?"

"Upstairs, taking care of something with some woman. I is not sure, he didn't say." The Lith said "And Diego is training, Miss Sky, he asked me to tell you that."

"Thank you, sweetie." The brunette smiled, turning to Malia "Why are you still here? I thought you were already upstairs, slashing the woman's throat open."

"I'm too tired for that. Let me get that bath and I'll get him later." She declared, standing up "Minnie, do me a favor and fetch us a change of clothes, will you?"

"Of course!" she smiled, jumping to a standing position "I will be right back!"

"Malia, Sky, Tillie." Lys called, entering the living room once more through the backdoor "The bath is ready."

"Thank you Lys. You are very kind." Tillie smiled standing up, followed by the other two exhausted women.

"Of course, Miss Tillie. It was the least I could do." The girl bowed slightly and pointed her hand to the backdoor "I'll make sure that no one enters until all of you leave."

"Except Seena." Malia noted "Thanks, Lys."

"Anytime."

 **.~.~.**

Lys looked up from what she was doing to see three figures entering the living room through the backdoor. One of them was stretching, another was yawning and the last one was doing both. Tillie was dressed in a teal blue silky tunic with black lace trims with a V-neck that reached her knees and a pair of brown slip-on shoes; her hair was up in two messy buns. Sky wore a baggy white top with a pair of brown bootie shorts and a long grey cotton cardigan and walked barefoot, twirling the tip of her ponytail in between her fingers and Malia walked with nothing but one of Zander's black baggy shirts on. Her hair was loose, and one of her hands was covering her mouth.

"How was the bath?" the brown-eyed woman asked softly.

"Uh, relaxing." Sky tried, muffling a yawn "Thank you so much."

"I'm glad I could help. Diego is back from his training, but neither Zander or the woman that Seena mentioned have come down." Lys informed, and Malia looked up to her.

"Really? That's good." She said, walking to the stairs "Who wants to help me hide a body?"

"Not me." Tillie immediately answered.

"Nu-uh! Too tired for that!" Sky responded.

"I is a kid, Rogue." Seena rose an eyebrow.

"Hum…" Lys let out when Malia's eyes rested upon her "I'm a nice girl, Miss Malia, but I don't agree with murder."

"And yet you're dating one that commits them." The woman muttered, climbing up the stairs "Don't worry about it. Diego has helped me before, I'm sure he'll do it again."

"She's joking, right?" Lys asked, turning to the two women.

"Honestly, Lys…" Sky said "I'm not sure."

"Of course she's joking, sweetie!" Tillie reassured her, placing a hand on her arm "Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?" Sky whispered at the dwarf's ear.

"Of course not! She could be walking out of here at midnight with a bloody bag in her arms, are you kidding me?" Tillie murmured back, looking up to the woman that was currently entering her bedroom "But I can't let Lys sleep with that in her mind. She's too pure."

"You're the boss." Sky shrugged, looking back to the innocent human folding the blanket over the couch.

The woman took a deep breath and raised her head before opening the door wide open. Looking inside the room, she saw Zander sitting on the foot of the bed with a hand under his chin and a woman in front of him gesticulating with her arms. The woman was aged and a moon elf: her skin was blueish and her eyes grey, her aqua blue hair pulled up in a fancy braided updo porting signs of white strands, and she wore a long purple dress with three leather belts around her waist and a pair of black and lilac sandals.

"Wow, Zander. When someone cheats on their partner, they usually go for a younger and improved version of the person, not some old sack of bones. Are you sure she can keep up with you?" Malia asked, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms over her chest "Hi. I'm his fiancée."

"Malia!" Zander exclaimed, standing up "This is not what you think."

"But I mean, tastes are tastes, I can't really argue with that." She said, walking to the closet and opening one of the doors "Did you see my whip? So I can slash you with it. This time, with no sexual deviation."

"Malia…" Zander tried, but the young woman interrupted him again.

"And when I'm done with you, I'm gonna turn to the waste of oxygen over there and I'm gonna teach her how we deal with cheaters here in Ade-"

"You were right, she's quite the feisty pants." The woman smiled, and she placed the papers she had in her hands on the bed next to Zander and made a small bow. Zander smiled and walked to his fiancée, and he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, kissing her forehead.

"Malia…" he spoke softly, stealing a kiss from her surprised lips "This is Amia. She's an old family friend."

"Then what is she doing here? YOU TRYNA PULL SOM-"

"She's a wedding planner, Malia." Zander smiled, and he had to hold himself when Malia jumped on him and hugged him.

"Zander!" she exclaimed "You're the most awesome fiancé eveeeer!"

"I know, I know…" he chuckled, and carried her to the bed, where he settled her and let go of her, turning back to the woman "Amia, you've met Malia."

"It's a pleasure, my dear." She smiled.

"Same. Sorry about insulting you." She shied away, sitting up and hiding herself behind Zander.

"It's quite alright." Amia said, grabbing the papers again "Alexander warned me about your… temper. Do not fret, I know that you didn't mean it."

"So… what are we doing here?" Malia asked, pulling the shirt down and pushing her legs up to her chest.

"Well, Alexander and I were going through the several things that you're going to need and he has narrowed down the list, but he wanted your help to pick one." Amia explained, smiling "Let's start with the theme, shall we? So, we have the classic wedding, with all the…"

"Where were you?" Zander whispered at her ear.

"Please, I do not want to talk about that." Malia whispered back "What do you mean, color and lace?"

"Hum, you see… Wedding are supposed to have a theme, such as… if a couple loves the tale of… Minnie the Mouse, and they want their wedding to be about that story, I can make the bouquets with the colors of the clothing of the Lith, or the decoration is about the forest… you understand?" Amia smiled.

"I do. Colors. Red and Blue." The young woman smiled up to Zander.

"Of course, but may I ask why?" the elder asked and Zander looked down at Malia and smiled back and together, at the same time, they both raised their and lightened them on fire.

"That is beautiful…" she smiled, and the couple extinguished the flames "Blue and red, noted. About the dresses, do you mind if I find a…"

"Actually… I have a very close friend who also happens to be a great tailor. I want her to make the dresses. She works at The Silk, I'll ask someone to take you there." The blue-eyed girl said "So, don't need to worry about that. What else?"

"The decoration I no longer need to ask, it appears that it will be about fire, passion and – excuse my cliché but – burning love."

"Perfect." Zander nodded.

"Now, about the invitation… Any special message that you'd like to have in it, or…" Amia tried, and the couple shared a look.

"How is usually composed a wedding invitation?" Malia asked.

"Well, usually the parents of the bride are the ones organizing it, so it says that they invite you to the wedding of said people and then the date and the location. That is the message." The elder clarified.

"My parents passed away a long time ago, Amia." She said "But I do have a relative that would be willing to put her name on the invitation."

"Perfect! Who may that be?"

"Calida. But please, write 'Queen' before the name. I'm the only one that is allowed to call her by the first name." Malia smirked and Amia gasped, looking at the youngster wide-eyed.

"You are relatives with Queen Calida, Queen of Adeshia?!"

"Well, not by blood… her mom took me in when I was a kid and Calida and I grew up together." Malia shrugged "So yeah. That makes her family."

"V-very well." Amia nodded "I shall write ' _Queen of Adeshia most proudly invite you to share the love at the wedding of her most faithful friend Malia_ – and I'll add your last name – _to Alexander Theodin Morthil, on_ said day _, in_ said month _, at_ said location _'._ What do you think?"

"Why… hum, never mind." Malia shook her head.

"What is it, love?" Zander asked.

"I mean… I get it, it's the whole antiquate thing, but… can't we be the ones to ask people to come to our own wedding? I mean, why do we have to depend on someone else? It's not like she's the one that is going to pay for it." The woman said, resting her head on Zander's shoulder "Maybe this is just my independent and feminist mind talking."

"No, you're right. You're absolutely right." He smiled, wrapping his arm around her mid-section "Can we do that, Amia?"

"Of course, it's your wedding. It'll be the first time, but sure." She accepted "How about this…? ' _Malia_ …"

"Faye." He said, and only for the girl sitting next to him, he added "I did my research."

"Very well. _'Malia Faye and Alexander Theodin Morthil most proudly invite you to share the love in their wedding on_ said day _, in_ said month _, at_ said location _'_. How is that?" Amia suggested.

"I like it." Malia smiled "How about you, Zander?"

"I like it too. How will it be styled?" he asked.

"Well, since the theme will be fire, I was thinking of a scroll with the edges slightly burnt and wrapped with a baby blue ribbon, and the ink would be dark red. What do you think?"

"I love it!" The girl smiled, and turned to Zander, whispering "Zander, this is going to be so awesome!"

"Chill, babe, we're not done yet. This was the fun part. Now, comes the hard one."

"Which is it?" the bronze haired woman cocked her head to the side.

"Make a guest list and write the invitations." He smirked, and the girl groaned and let herself fall on the bed.

"Why do you have to be a buzz killer?!" she complained "You know, if it was up to me, I'd have you and the priest there!"

"Luckily, it isn't up to up." He leaned back on the bed and lied on his side, turned to her, and caressed the bronze locks out of her face "And that means that there won't be an angry Tillie banging at our door in our honeymoon, demanding to know why she wasn't invited for the wedding."

"Knowing her, she'd keep us from… getting intimate just to punish us." Malia let out, looking over to him.

"Most likely, yeah." Zander smiled and kissed her forehead "You ready?"

"Will you help?" she tucked her lip and gave him puppy eyes.

"Of course…" he chuckled and sat up straight "Now, Amia… What else?"

* * *

The door opened to reveal three cloaked figures entering a shady looking tavern. Alcohol was spread all over the stony floor and the fire that shed some light inside the building was currently roasting a wild pig, watching by a woman in reduced clothing, with glitters and jewelry everywhere. The bar counter was occupied by the usual drinkers and a fat looking man eyed the three figures that entered the tavern with a suspicious gaze, before turning to his current occupation: cleaning the glasses with a dirty rag.

The three figures looking around before the one on the left stopped and tapped the middle one's shoulder, and pointing at one of the dark corners of the building. He nodded and walked towards the location, stopping to look at the person sitting at the table. He was tall and lightly tanned, and he was a very handsome man, if not for the clear evidences of misery and distress that the man was in. Dark bags under his eyes, his blond hair messy, his face dirty and his gaze lost. The figure in the middle sat down in front of the man while the other two stood, back-facing them and protecting them from the sight of curious watchers.

"Hello, Jace." The figure spoke.

"Get out." The man spoke, his voice rough and raw.

"I would, if my goal was such."

"What the fuck do you want?" the blond growled.

"To help you, of course. Quite a misery she is putting you through, no?" the figure spoke. Jace looked up and asked "Who are you?"

"My name… Is Kali Blake." He smiled "And, if you want, I can make all your wishes come true."

* * *

 **A/N: What the hell does Kali Blake could possibly want from Jace?! What do you think it will happen? And will Aida and Jace get back together in time for the wedding? Who knows... I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	28. Chapter 28: Forever Is a Long Time

**Who's ready for some ass-whooping?**

 **Hey, how are you doing? I'm cool, and the sun is just hiding behind the horizon and that simply means that the real time of the day is going to start! I don't even know what I just said, never mind...**

 **So, a lot has happened since the last time I wrote something here. My birthday, vacation, a breakup, a car crash... So much! But nothing to worry, because Lonee is back and ready to give you the best chapter ever!**

 **So, last chapter was powerful... Aida and Jace breaking up, Roxanne turning out to be a bitch, Jace becoming a blind fool, and lots and lots of tears! I wonder what will happen in this one... Let's find out!**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, you're right, Roxanne is a bit like Sapphire, and I'm glad that you understand the reason why Jace acted like that. I hope you like this chapter!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, I'm glad you liked it, and I missed you too!**

 **\- humanoid, thank you, and why don't you find out...? *wink***

 **With nothing more to say...**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 28: Forever Is a Long Time, and I wanna spend it with you**

* * *

"What do you mean…" the male blinked "you can make my dreams come true?"

"Exactly what you heard." The cloaked figure repeated "Whatever you want, I can make it come true."

"Oh yeah?" Jace asked, grabbing his mug and taking a long sip "Can you go back in time and stop me from doing the dumbest mistake of my life?"

"I can if you want me to." He chuckled "But the world does not allow chivalry among people; and I, being a part of it, must abide to its rules."

"Knew it… what do you want?"

"I'm looking for someone. Her name is Malia." Kali Blake pulled the picture of the woman onto the table "Do you know her?"

"I've seen her around." Jace lied "Who is she?"

"The daughter of one of my father's friends. I heard she was getting married, I wanted to wish her the best of lucks."

"Hum… I don't know her that well."

"It's okay. I'm sure that a smart man like yourself can find sources in these streets."

Jace stared at the man under hooded eyes. Something was off about this man. He sounded polite and resourceful, but his posture showed his guarded stand. His eyes were always scanning the crowd, his hand hanging by the scimitar strapped to his hips. His lips spoke promises, but his eyes revealed lies. The blond was unsure of what to do, but he wasn't about to give Malia's location to this shady looking man. So, taking another long sip, he stood up.

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise anything." He said.

"Thank you, Jace. I truly appreciate it."

 **.~.~.**

"Thank you so much, Amia. For everything…" Malia smiled, taking the moon elf's hands.

"It's alright, Malia, my love." She said, pulling away and putting on the brown leather gloves, before wrapping her long dark blue cape around her shoulders "It's my job, after all."

"Thank you, Amia." Zander shook her hand "I'll show you out the door."

"Thank you, my dear…" the woman smiled bowed slightly and left with Zander, the man coming back few moments later alone.

"Hey, beautiful." He called, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards himself.

"Hey handsome." She replied, biting her lip and wrapping her arms around his neck "Who might you be…?"

"Me?" Zander asked, playing along "I'm just a man, milady. A simple man."

"And I a simple woman with carnal desires. So, tell me again, brave knight, who are you?"

"Me? I'm the man, milady. I'm the man that is going to shake your world and fuck you hard until you can't walk tomorrow. I'm the man that will get you to Eanna, and baby, you're gonna be there for a while, so meet up with someone, will you?"

"Oh yeah?" she rose an eyebrow "And how will you get me there?"

"Malia…" Zander smirked and leaned down to her ear, whispering the dirty thoughts that went through his head, making Malia gasp and **_blush_**.

"Zander!" she pulled away "That's so… dirty! Even for me! Damn, where did you learn how to talk dirty like that?"

"I had a good teacher." He winked "But now, are we gonna take this to bed or-"

Three loud knocks echoed in their door and Malia groaned, slamming her head on Zander's chest. "I'm gonna kill someone today." She threatened, and pulled the door open "Jace!"

"We need to talk."

"Damn right we do!" Malia exclaimed "Boy, who do you-"

"Malia, this is not about me." The blond declared, closing the door shut behind himself "I wasn't followed, I lost them three streets back."

"Followed?" the young woman frowned "What's going on, Jace?"

"What do you know about a man named Kali Blake?" he asked.

"Enough to know that you shouldn't be messing with him. Have you met him? How?"

"I was at the bar, drinking away my sorrows, when this guy sits in front of me and announces himself as Kali Blake and tells me he can make my dreams come true. I started joking, telling him that I wanted to go back in time to stop myself from… you know, and he said he could do it. But he wanted something in return. And he showed me a picture of you and asked me if I knew you."

"What did you say?" Zander frowned.

"I lied with all my teeth, that's what I did. I told him I had seen you around. And he told me he knew you were getting married, and he said your father was his father's friend."

"Kali Blake's father was my father's friend? I find that hard to believe." She frowned "Did he say what he wanted?"

"To wish you the best of lucks, but I highly doubt it." He frowned "Malia, I lost them. I did, and I came here to tell you this and I…"

"Jace." Malia called, placing a hand on his shoulder "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"You're… You're welcome. Because I do try… And yet… I end up breaking everyone I love."

"Jace… I think you need to have an honest conversation with that hoe Roxanne. Sorry, I had to. Only then you can talk to _her_ … because, no matter how hard she might stomp her foot… she still loves you. And she needs you. Now more than ever."

"Thank you, Malia… You're… you're a good person, you know that?"

"I try." She laughed "Now go away, you barged in at a really inopportune time."

"I'm going to talk to Roxanne…" he shook his head "Oh and… if I don't survive tonight… Congratulations."

"Thank you Jace." Zander smiled "And don't worry… I'll heal you back from the dead if I have to."

"Good to know." He laughed "Okay, I'm going. Have fun."

"We will!" the woman winked, and the blond exited the room and shut the door behind himself.

He had one destination in his mind, and he wasn't going to stop until he got what he wanted. With large strides and firm frown, he crossed the hallway that led to her room and knocked on the wooden door three times with more force than necessary. But, with his state of mind, it would be safe to say that he was letting out easy. The girl's voice echoed in his ears after a few seconds, telling him to come inside, and he did, shutting the door behind him, and turning to look at her.

She was sitting on the wooden king-sized bed covered with fern green sheets, and she was looking at him. Her pointy dog ears were flickering in the air, trying to figure out why he was there. Smiling and standing up, the girl moved to hug him, but Jace only pushed her away roughly. Cocking her head to the side, Roxanne frowned, not understanding his sudden roughness, but still let it slip. Placing a hand on his bicep and smiling when he didn't push her away, she called his name and waited for him to look into his eyes.

"Jace…"

"Why?" he asked, his voice low and rough.

"What do you mean, 'why'?"

"Why did you lie to me, Roxy? I know they're right."

"Jace, I would never lie to you. Ever! Why are you saying such…"

"ROXANNE!" the blond shouted "Stop lying! Tell me why the fuck did you lie to me!"

"I didn't lie to you!"

"ROXANNE!"

"FINE!" She exclaimed back, pulling away and crossing her arms "I lied! I lied with all the teeth I have in my mouth! But I had a reason to! And you of all people, should know why I did it!"

"Well, I don't! So why you don't you clarify this for me, huh?!"

"I was protecting you, Jace! I was protecting your dreams!" she exclaimed.

"My… dreams?" he let out.

"Yes, your dreams! You told me, a long time ago that you loved me. That you wanted to stay with me, but you knew that such wasn't possible! So, you made me promise that I would be the one to help you find your true love, and you already knew who it was! You wanted a princess to marry, you told me so! So, when I found out that you were with that… thief, I figured that it was your way of telling me that you wanted me to intervene! Jace, I was only looking out for you! I still love you, but I'm with Faelern… I…"

"That was a childhood crush, Roxanne, you of all people should know that. Roxy, you don't love me like that. You love me as a friend, and that's normal. But… my dreams changed. And that happened the moment I met Aida. She became my new dream, and I couldn't love her more. I really couldn't. But… You are wrong in one small piece of information you should have gathered before you went and ruined all my life."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Are you familiar with King Kael? Of Northcliff?" he asked, watching her nod slowly "Aida is his twin sister. Which makes her… A princess."

"Oh, Jace…" she gasped.

"So, yeah. Know that you were the one that ruined my dream. You broke my princess and I apart, Roxanne. And I don't think I can forgive you for that."

 **.~.~.**

Jace sat on the bed that had once been filled with their heat. It was cold now to the touch, but he would change that. That is, if she had him. But she needed to. Because if she refused him once more, he was doomed to walk the earth with the knowledge that his loved one no longer wanted him. His heart could not take that. He could not take any more pain, any more heartthrob, any more angst. He loved her, and he would not walk out of this room until she had those words imprinted on his brain.

The door opened, and Jace looked up. There she was, bathed in the moonlight, with her normal clothes covering the curvaceous body that she possessed, although they were a bit dirty and messy. Her slim fingers were undoing the braid that she kept her hair on, over her left shoulder, but stopped when she laid her eyes on him. They glowed, but Jace was not sure if it was with pain, tears, or just plain angriness. The latter one was the more probable. But he hoped, oh for Eanna he hoped, that she could find in her heart the will to forgive him.

"Jace." She spoke, eyeing him up and down.

"Aida." He called, getting up from the bed slowly.

"You look like crap." She noticed, and closed the door behind herself.

"I know. I… I should have changed clothes before coming here…" he tried.

"Why? You tryna make a good impression or something?" she asked, moving to the mirror in the room to check on herself.

"Maybe…"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came… I came to talk to you. Can I?" he asked, trying not to get too hopeful.

"You can. Doesn't mean I'll listen, though."

"Aida… I'm sorry." He started, and noticing that the woman slightly turned her head in his direction made him continue "I was wrong in everything I did. I'm sorry for not believing you, any of you, when I knew deep inside that she was wrong and you were right. I'm sorry I ignored the tug my heart did when I saw you walk out the door and I didn't follow you. I'm sorry for breaking you, for breaking your trust in me, and most importantly… I'm sorry for not being the man you want, but a scared little boy that clings too hard on the things he loves. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry, Gorgeous… I'll… I'll leave now."

As he made a movement to open the door, Aida's voice called out "You're stupid, you know that?"

"I do." He sighed.

"And you probably made the dumbest mistake ever, you know?"

"I do." He laughed "I'm… I'm stupid to that point."

"What was the reason she gave you? To do what she did?"

"She was making sure that I followed my dreams." He explained, and she snickered "Your dreams?"

"Yeah. I once told her that I wanted to marry a princess. I thought that a princess would be my one true love, and I made her promise that she wouldn't let me marry anyone but a princess. I didn't have time to tell her my dreams changed." He said, moving closer to her.

"They did?" she asked, shaking her hair, now free from the braid.

"Yeah. From the moment I met you, Aida…" he declared, placing his hands on her hips and hiding his face in her hair "You became my new dream."

"Jace…" she whispered, and he hummed "You are probably one of the dumbest people I've ever met in my entire life. You know that?"

"I do. I'm sorry, Aida. Can you forgive me?" he begged, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him.

"Jace… I understand. I took a while, and me and Diego had a little heart to heart after you chose Roxanne over me, and he made me see that I'd probably do the same. If Sky told me a complete lie and Lys told me the true, I'd probably believe Sky a lot faster than Lys. So, I understand what you did. You came back, and that's all that matters."

"So… you forgive me?"

"I do. But it doesn't mean that things will go back to the way they were before." She pulled away from him and frowned "I'm sorry."

"Tell me what I have to do to fix things between us, Aida. Please." He begged.

"Jace… It's not just about Roxanne and her big fat lie, you know? Things have been going down with us for a while now and I think we need a break from it."

"Tell me." He fell on his knees and let his head fall "Tell me what I did wrong. Aida, you have no idea how much this hurts… I'm seeing the one I love walking away from me over something I did wrong. Please tell me. Tell me how I can make it better. Tell me how I can heal you. Us. Please."

"Jace… the problem is you." She declared.

"M-me?"

"Yes, you. You and your cold feet, you and your commitment issues. I want a man in my life that is able to grow the pair to tell me he wants to spend his life with me _and_ actually act on it! Not just speak and bail. Do you understand what I'm saying?" she asked, taking a knee before him.

"I do… And trust me, Aida, I'm trying… but it's not that easy." He admitted.

"What is not that easy? It's not easy to grow the pair to tell me you love me and that you want to marry me? Or whatever it may come to your mind?!"

"It's not easy to admit to myself that I actually want that and allow myself to take the chance and pray to Eanna that you don't break me!" he exclaimed, looking up to her with tears falling from his eyes.

"Break… you?"

"Aida… Look, the truth is… I'm scared of loving, of giving my everything to someone because I know that, one way or another, I'm going to mess up. I'm gonna mess up, and when I do… You're going to leave. You're going to tell me you hate me and move on from me. And just the thought of that hurts, Aida. I can't take watching you walk out the door, it breaks me. So I'm scared. Because I think that, every time you leave, you won't come back!"

"So you think…" she tried, placing her hands on each side of his face and wiping his tears "That because of that irrational fear of yours, you won't tell me that you want to spend the rest of your life with me? Because you are scared that, once you put your heart in my hands, I will break it and you will be left with nothing?"

"Yes." He admitted, and closed his eyes.

"… Are you stupid?"

"What?" he let out, looking up to her shiny green eyes.

"Jace… I took that chance for you. I put my heart on your hands, and even though you broke it, I'm here. Am I really that untrustworthy that you don't think you can trust your heart to me?"

"No, Aida, it's not like that!" he exclaimed "I… I'm just… scared."

"I'm scared too, Jace." She smiled "I'm scared that you might leave some day, and I wake up to an empty bed. I'm scared of seeing you with another woman and knowing that she's a lot better for you than I am! But I don't let that stop me because I know that I love you! With all my heart, and you should know that too."

"Aida… Can you forgive me? For the pain I put you through, for all the hurt and the misery I caused?" he begged, caressing her face with the tip of his fingers.

"I already have." She smiled, kissing his forehead "Now is you that needs to forgive himself."

"Help me…" he declared "Help me become whole again, like you once did."

"I will…" she nodded "Now… care to help me out of this corset so that we can go to sleep? I'm awfully tired."

"Of course." He nodded, and stood up with her "Aida, would it be okay if I-"

"Stay." She interrupted, hiding the smile that appeared on her face "The bed is really cold when you're not around."

As he smiled and undid the laces that kept the clothing together, letting it fall on the floor. But he didn't stop there. Moving her hair to the side, he began to kiss her neck, while he rolled the gloves down to her hands. Aida took them off and pushed her boots off by stepping on the back of the heel, not bothering to undo the laces. Jace turned her around and pulled her shirt up and off, allowing the shorts and socks to follow, leaving the woman with a set baby blue lingerie that left his mouth watering.

Pushing him slowly until the back of his legs hit the bed, Aida pushed him down to a sitting position and sat on his lap, kissing his forehead. Jace moved to remove his sword from his back and take off his shirt, kicking his boots off. Smiling up to his lover, the blond moved her so that her back hit the bed softly and moved on top of her, kissing her nose and resting his forehead against hers. It didn't take long for the two to be completely bare, and their whispers of eternal loving filled the night. As they laid in bed together, gazing at each other with the everlasting promise of loyalty and love, they knew that they would be together forever.

* * *

 **A/N: What the hell does Kali Blake could possibly want from Jace?! What do you think it will happen? And will Aida and Jace get back together in time for the wedding? Who knows... I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	29. Chapter 29: Marriage

**If want to have my head by the end of this chapter, go ahead, I'll even let you borrow the katana.**

 **What's up guys, it's your girl LoneeWolf, back at it again with another chapter for you! So, a lot has happened since the last time I posted something. I got a boyfriend (JUST KIDDING, I ain't that dumb), I got into a fight with some random douche that I just can't remember the name and college had me bending over the counter. I think you can imagine the rest. Anyway, I'm losing it with this heat wave! Seriously, what is up with this weather?! It's supposed to be spring!**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, I'm glad you liked it! Let's see what you feel about this one.**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, I understand, no worries.**

 **\- humanoid, omg, THAT kinky?! Thanks!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 29: Marriage**

* * *

The day that they had been waiting for was finally here. Weeks of getting everything ready had finally came to closure, and today was the day that they would be together in the eyes of Eanna. The guests had arrived two days before, and now the main guest house in Adeshia was half-full with all their guests. Nina and her daughter, Litsa, Zander's family (both parents and sisters), Amia – who had been a great help with the wedding, and all the people that had stood by them during the most important parts of their life: Calida, Tillie, Aida, Jace, Diego, Seena, Sky, Lys, Kole, Roxanne and Faelern. Airdan was unreachable, unfortunately, but Zander had sent him an invitation nevertheless.

The woman sat up on her bed and looked around, sighing at the view of the clean room. She was excited for the day she was going to have, but she was also nervous. So nervous. She got up and went to take a short bath, making sure that her ears were sharp just in case that someone unwanted barged inside the room. As the bubbles covered her as she entered the bathtub, she heard someone open the door. Her small hand immediately reached out for a red-bladed dagger that she always kept close – given to her by Calida on one of her young birthdays – and brought it close to her, keeping guard. But the door only closed after a few seconds.

"I wonder who was that." Malia let out, sliding down further into the water.

Sometime later, the woman left the bathtub and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her body. She padded softly inside the bedroom and stopped when she saw what the person – she had a good idea who it was now – had put on her bed: a bouquet of three full-bloomed blue roses with a small paper between them. Sitting down on the bed and placing the bouquet on her lap, she took the paper in her hand. Inside, in a fancy calligraphy, said:

 _'When I met you, I didn't know that you would be the person_  
 _that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with._  
 _Right now, I can't wait for the rest of my life to begin_  
 _so I can love you more and more everyday'_  
 _– Z_

Sucking in a breath, Malia felt the tears invading her eyes. He was the most thoughtful, sweetest and most romantic person she had ever met. Sniffing and hiding her face in her hands, she let out a tear or two. She loved him with all her heart, she had proven it by taking him and him alone as her eternal lover. But every time she tried to believe in her heart and the purity of her love, she nervousness and fear took over her.

She wasn't scared of losing her reputation; no, as a matter of fact it wouldn't be harmed. She would no longer be the Rogue that slept around, that bedded any man or woman. She would not be the seductress that she gained name from; nor the ecstatic lover she was truthfully thought to be. But she still would be the powerful woman, the reckless warrior that she was known to be; the just and fair shadow vigilante that treated everyone and everything the same way. She would still be the Rouge that faced the throne and stood up to her liberal thoughts and refused to bow down to oppressing ideas. She would still be her own woman, only with a ring on her finger.

She cried, not for the loss of her liberty, but for the raw passion and eternal love that she felt for him. It hurt, it hurt so much to love him, because he felt the same way for her in return. One would ask what was the problem; if both loved each other then it was perfect. But the so almighty Rogue didn't see it that way. She knew that to love was not an equivalent to be weak, but little Malia whole-heartedly believed that her knight in shiny armor would rescue her from the pit of hellfire that her life had been. But although he had only come after she had made a name for herself, she would accept him nevertheless.

And it was in this heart throbbing moment of thought that her maids of honor decided to enter the room.

"Yo, Rogue, so I was thinking-" Aida started, but when she saw Malia, she exclaimed "Oh shit! Malia!"

"Malia, what happened?" Tillie asked, kneeling in front of the woman, taking her hands in hers.

"Malia?" Sky called, grabbing the flowers and the card "Is this from Zander?"

"Sky, what does it say?" the dwarf asked, watching Malia's positive reaction as a response. The brunette read it out loud and sighed.

"I don't get it. That's so sweet of him, why are you crying?" Aida asked.

"I… It's exactly why… it's so sweet." She mumbled, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

"I don't get it."

"You don't think you deserve him." Tillie declared. Malia nodded weakly and Aida started laughing.

"Aida!" Sky called, but she was trying to muffle a giggle of her own.

"Why are you laughing?" Malia asked.

"Because you are being stupid." Tillie said "Malia, before I came here, I stopped by Zander's room. And you know what was he doing?"

"Meditating?" she guessed.

"Shouting to the highest of heavens, asking the Old Kings why in the name of fuck had you chosen him." Tillie smiled at the astounded look on the woman's face "He's having the same thoughts that you're having right now, woman. I was able to calm him down, and that took at least twenty minutes, are you really going to put me through the same thing again?"

"Not really… But I-"

"Malia… he loves you. And you know that. What is the problem?"

"I… I guess I just think that he deserves the best. Tillie, admit it, we are two souls going against all odds. We are from two completely different sides of society, and we are fighting for our right to love in this dark world! Tell me, what is going to keep the darkness from breaking us?"

"Excuse my cliché, but both of you are fire mages. Your light will cast away the darkness." Tillie smiled and got up "Is that clear, missy? So stop thinking about those things and let's get you inside your wedding dress."

The chapel was full with all their guests. Litsa, Calida and Amia were sitting on the first row on the right, and Zander's family on the first row on the left. Everyone else was there, sitting down. Zander stood in the aisle, with Jace standing next to him, both in their finest clothing: Jace wore a button up shirt with grey pants and brown ankle boots and Zander wore a white tee with a ruffle collar, black pants, a golden sash around his hips and brown ankle boots. The two men stood there, nervous, but Jace took as his own personal goal to calm Zander down the most he could, because the man was close to be shaking like a leaf.

The room was filled with chatter, everyone talking and pining after the well-wanted wedding. Loud laughter and soft giggles, bickering talk and complimenting one. But everything stopped when the music started playing and Calida climbed to the aisle, to make the wedding. Tillie showed up first, with her hair in two buns, and braid across the forehead, Sky followed with her bun, and her bangs molding her face and Aida, in her up-do, with bangs falling. They all wore the same: a straight light blue dress with a halter top, red ballerina shoes and handless gloves up to the arm with a red fire drawing on the end.

They all looked beautiful, with soft makeup and smoky eyes, but nothing compared to the woman that walked in behind them. Her hair was down, her bangs pined behind her head with a blue jewel (given by Tillie), her eyes were deep and glowed like a thousand suns. Her lips were red, kissable and full. She wore a white high low lace white dress, with the tail dragging a bit behind her, with a corset with a sweetheart neckline, and small roses all over, the button of them being a small red jewel, on her feet a pair of red heels. Covering her arms, she had a pair of long white gloves, and in her hands, the bouquet of three blue roses that Zander had given her, walking arm linked to Diego.

Zander sucked in a breath when he saw her, and smiled softly. She smiled back and walked up to him, winking when she stood next to him, kissing Diego on the cheek and taking Zander's hand. She turned to Calida and smiled, nodding. The Queen cleared her throat and nodded back, before eyeing everyone in the large room, smiling at all the expectant faces and began her speech.

"We gather here to unite these two people in marriage. Their decision to marry has not been entered into lightly and today they publicly declare their private devotion to each other, as if we didn't know it already. The essence of this commitment is the acceptance of each other in entirety, as lover, companion, and friend." She smiled at the two "Now, if anyone here is against the union of these two lovers in eternal faithfulness, please speak now or forever hold their breath."

A deadly silent ran across the room; no one wanted to break the two apart, or dared to speak. But one illuminated soul decided to act. Elora makes a move to stand up, but defense rose immediately: Aida pulled out the dagger that was hidden under the dress, Sky tugged on her enchanted glove and Diego placed a strong hand on the moon elf's shoulder, making her sit down. Smirking when the woman adopted an angry pout, Aida turned to Malia and winked, and the latter made a small bow with her head.

"Well, now that we have that clear, let's get down to business."

The wedding went on normally, with many sniffles and small tears escaping their eyes, but also laughter and happiness. This was everything they wanted, not from the moment they met, but from the moment they understood that they couldn't live without each other. They loved each other dearly, with all their heart, and damned would be the one that got in the middle of that. Malia took his hands and smiled, turning in his direction, and he did the same. They looked at each other and smiled.

"Zander, do you take Malia Faye as your wife, and vow to share your lives openly with one another, and to speak the truth in love? Do you promise to honor and tenderly care for one another, cherish and encourage each other, stand together, through sorrows and joys, hardships and triumphs for all the days of your lives?" Calida asked.

"I do."

"Malia, do you take Alexander Theodin Morthil as your husband, and vow to share your lives openly with one another, and to speak the truth in love? Do you promise to honor and tenderly care for one another, cherish and encourage each other, stand together, through sorrows and joys, hardships and triumphs for all the days of your lives?" the Queen repeated.

"I-"

But the rest of her answer was muffled by the long bang that came from the doors, blasting them open, and making everyone scream. Four shadows came from behind the cloud of dust, and whilst two stayed back, two warriors made their way down the aisle and grabbed Malia, pulling away from Zander's grasp. The woman screamed and fought back, but the man that grabbed her applied pressure on the pressure point just under her skull and the woman passed out in his arms. At the same time, the two figures that hid behind the curtain of smoke revealed themselves, making everyone gasp.

"Hello."

"Ryker." Zander growled, and went for the killing. The woman put herself between them and shoved a palm into his chest, taking the breath off him and making in fall on the floor.

"This is an amazing family reunion, but I must say that I feel offended that I wasn't invited." The man smirked "Here's the thing, Zander. I got nothing against your reunion with Malia to Eanna's eyes, but my associate has. And I can't allow that such precious thing to him escapes."

"Associate?" Jace asked.

"Yeah. Meet Kali Blake."

The other man stepped forward and looked at the fallen Zander. He was tall and lean, but not too muscled. His hair was spiky and salmon colored, his eyes cold and grey. His high cheek bones were something that called for attention, and his full lips joined them. He wore a grey shirt with a white ruffle collar, dark grey pants and brown ankle boots. The dark grey cape dragged on the floor as he walked, pined to the shoulders by small shoulder plates. He smiled coldly to Zander and put a lock of hair behind Malia's ear, before declaring in a soft and deep voice.

"Come after me or even try and bring her back and you will find her dismembered body in the middle of Adeshia's market by dawn."

The woman stepped back to them and together the five disappeared behind the smoke.

* * *

 **A/N: I told you. Here's the katana *gives katana* I'ma start running now, okay?** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	30. Chapter 30: We Vow

**Too much time has passed since the last time I was with you guys...**

 **Hi there! So, college is over (thank god) and I am back in business with another chapter for you! So, yeah, I think I'm just going to dive right in with that and leave out everything else, except perhaps...**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **- _humanoid_ , I don't know... but don't all happy and lasting relationships need to go through some rough times to establish themselves as a powerful rock?**

 **- _Midnight Sin 009_ , Kali is not her ex, calm down honey. This mystery guy, dear double o seven plus two shall remain mysteryous until his time is due. Okay? ;)**

 **- _LadyDiamond92_ , thank youuuu! You're the sweetest!**

 **With nothing more to say, I do apologize for my delay, and I will my hardest to get back on my feet.**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 30: We Vow**

* * *

"You little monsters! You were planning this all along, weren't you?!"

The ruckus had calmed down, and everyone had left the temple after the villains escaped. Kole and Flaelern took a run to hunt them down, but they had vanished like smoke in the sky. After that, they had returned, and reunited with their friends, but everyone had left. Calida had gone back to the palace to mourn after an apologetic look at Zander, and with intentions of organizing a search group to track down and bring back Malia. But, at the moment, they were all inside the church – Zander and his family, Jace, Aida, Tillie, Sky and Diego – watching what was going on.

"Zander, what are you talking about?" Alanis asked "We came to your wedding, like you asked us, and you're throwing this at us?"

"You hired Ryker and those other guys to take Malia, didn't you?! Of course you did, you never wanted me to marry her in the first place!"

"Alexander, I will not let you sit there and accuse your family of something we have no guilt of!" Lord Morthil stood up and faced Zander "How dare you?!"

"No guilt? You are as guilty as them! Tell me that it wasn't just for the joy and the food that you came here, father! What do you want?!"

"Zander, that's enough!" Jace exclaimed, stepping forward and grabbing his arm "I don't think they had a saying in this. They're assholes, but they didn't take Malia. Kali Blake did. And that's what we need to focus on."

"Jace, they were the ones!" the mage exclaimed, turning to the human "I know they were!"

"Zander! I think you need to calm that fiery pussy down and start thinking things straight! Your. Parents. Didn't. Do. It. Is that clear or do I need to make you a drawing?!" Jace shouted, surprising the mage for a second "Let's settle down and think things through. If we go after them all hotheaded, we will get hurt."

"Okay…" he accepted.

"Okay." Jace smiled "Let's get you home, buddy."

 **.~.~.**

"Fuck."

"What's wrong, Aida?" Jace asked, watching the girl sit on his bed and removing the gloves.

"I can't believe this! How could we let Malia get away from us like that?!"

"Well, I don't know about you, Gorgeous, but I couldn't move. Seriously, it was like a force keeping me in place, no matter how hard I tried to throw myself and wrap my hands around the sucker's neck." Jace replied, sitting down next to her.

"That happened to you too?!" the noble let out, surprised "I thought I was the only one!"

"I'm positive you weren't. I have the feeling that everyone went through the same thing. Except of course, Kali and his sidekicks. I swear, when I get my hands on him…"

"When you get your hands on him, you will have a line behind you waiting to get a piece of the sucker, okay?"

"Okay. Aida, go back with me for a second and let's go through what happened, okay?"

"Okay. So, the blast happened and the doors burst open. That was the moment when I felt trapped, like I couldn't move." She explained.

"Exactly, me too. Zander was the only one that could move. Him and Malia." Jace observed "So, the two dickheads went and took Malia as Ryker showed himself and Zander went nuts, but that woman stopped him."

"Right. And then Blake showed up and threatened us and then they left… all five of them. And saw Kole and Faelern go after them, but it took me a while to be able to move again. Why could they move and I couldn't?" Aida asked.

"I have no idea. But those two lost track of them, apparently. What I can't wrap my head around is the fact that we all froze, and not to brag, but we're practically invincible. I mean, we're all warriors… why did we freeze?"

"Add that to the endless list of questions that everyone has." She sighed, and looked out the window, hoping to catch, even if just a glimpse, of the fiery red hair of the woman they all loved.

 **.~.~.**

"Can you calm down for a second, Faelern?" Roxanne asked, watching her beloved prance around the room like a cockroach.

"No! I had them Rox, I almost had them!" he exclaimed "I don't know what happened. One second I had a shot and in the other they vanished in the air!"

"Love, why don't you sit here next to me" she grabbed his hands and smiled "and run that through me again?"

"Fine…" he nodded and sat on the couch next to her "You know how they barged in and took Malia? I saw everybody freezing, I don't know how but I didn't freeze. After they were gone, I ran after them and I saw them escape through the markets. I saw the opportunity and I decided to a take a shot. They were entering a carriage. But not even a second later, they were gone! I don't know how, but they were. And it pisses me off!"

"Okay, honey. There is no use crying over spilled milk. It happened, and we are going to have to work our best to catch this asshole and make him pay, okay?" She smiled, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him towards her chest "I know you're angry, and I am angry too, but we need to calm down and work to get Malia back, okay?"

"Roxanne?"

"Yeah?"

"I need some loving…" he whispered against the crook of her neck.

"Okay, honey…" she noddle, pulling them two to a standing position "Let's go to our room."

 **.~.~.**

"Lys, are you okay?" Sky asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. The young woman jumped at the touch, but smiled.

"Yes, I'm quite alright. Still shocked over what happened." She replied softly.

"Are you sure?" Tillie asked, frowning.

"Yes… I believe I am. You girls?"

"I'm okay." Sky smiled.

"Me too." The dwarf replied, sitting down next to her friends "I still have to get through my head all that has happened."

"Me too. Tillie, where were you when they struck?" Sky asked.

"I was in the front row, next to Kole." She explained "I remember when they barged in and I couldn't feel anything. It was horrible! Like the life was being drained out of me and I was falling into a pit of darkness."

"I couldn't move… Like invisible forces were holding me down on my seat, and I was without strength. I've never felt so powerless before in my life! And watching Malia being taken away right in front of me… it's so… ugh! You know?"

"Yeah, I feel you…" the dwarf lowered her eyes to the ground "What about you, Lys? Where were you sitting?"

"Between Amia and Nina. I too felt helpless between all that mess. I was able to catch a glimpse on one of the people that protected Kali Blake, and I did not enjoy what I saw. It was horrible. His face looked disfigured. I wonder what happened to him."

"Well, wonder or not, we need to find Kali Blake, Lys. And bring Malia back." Sky affirmed.

"Yes, we do…" Tillie sighed.

 **.~.~.**

"What do you think we should do?" Kole asked, fixing the bandages on his hands.

"We need to track down that sucker and show him how we treat backstabbers here in Adeshia." Diego growled.

"Boss, how do we start?" an Eagle's member entered the office.

"Get me Marya, I got a job for her." The leader ordered "That hoe needs to start opening her legs to the right people. I want information!"

"Yes sir." The unnamed man replied, leaving once more. Kole rose an eyebrow and asked "Marya? Are you sure? You know how she is…"

"Proud? Sneaky? A bitch? Only thinks about herself?" Diego looked up to him "I know. But it's Malia, Kole. I'm willing to side with a backstabbing self-preserving whore to find her."

"I know. It wouldn't be you if it wasn't." Kole smiled "She is here. Should I open the door?"

"Yes, please."

Kole got up from his seat to open the double doors to a woman. She was covered by a dark cape. She walked inside the office and removed the cloak, revealing her identity. She was a tall elegant woman, with flawless tanned skin and stormy blue eyes, button nose and full red lips. Her hair was long and raven colored, cascading down her back and chest in large curls. She wore a long red dress with a boat neckline, one of the sides always falling, and a mermaid skirt with a cut that went all the way up to the middle of her thigh. A pair of flats and some gold accessories completed the look. She walked up to Diego and flickered her hair, raising a perfect eyebrow at him.

"Marya."

"Diego. ¿Qué es que tú quieres?"

"You can talk that shit all you want, but my house my rules, my language."

"Cabrón de mierda… What do you want, gringo?"

"I have a job for you. I need intel, and you're going to change your customer base to get me that information."

"And if I do not?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"The protection on your daughter… consider it gone. And I will personally tip K-19 of said fact. I heard Andre was very interested in Esmeralda." Diego smirked, watching the woman visibly shudder.

"Fine. But I want payment."

"Of course you do. For every good and verifiable piece of information that you bring me… 50 coins."

"100."

"Are you crazy? 60."

"80. Life is expensive, Diego, my love."

"70."

"75 and we have a deal."

"Perfect."

"What kind of intel do you want? Cargo? Gold?"

"I want intel on Kali Blake and Malia. Location, plans, even their favorite restaurant. I don't care. I want to know everything about that guy."

"I will make you 60 just because it is Malia. Pero… my debt towards her is paid after that."

"Fine by me. Now get out of here and go get me my information." He said and sat back down. The woman redressed herself and walked out, leaving the two males alone.

"Diego?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know why her heart started to pound when she saw you?"

"We had a thing. She told me the hardest to forget were my eyes." He declared, and turned his attention to the papers on his desk.

Later that day, they all came back to the chapel, disposed of the ceremonial clothing and back in their usual outfits. Sky stood in Diego's arms, Aida and Jace side by side, Kole and Lys stood next to Faelern and Roxanne and Tillie sided a broken Zander. Nina, Amia, Litsa and Calida were there too, the latter holding a weeping Seena in her arms. But there was something in the air. They were all sad, broken even – mind Zander and Seena – but something else perspired from them. Something stronger, something leading. A world of promises, of vows and strength. It was too late to stop it, but never too late to get it back. The feeling common in every fiber of every being was one, and one alone: determination.

"Zander." Calida called, stepping forward "Once again, I stand here, before you and apologize for the little I could do to stop this tragedy. However, I have a new purpose now. I stand here, and Eanna and all our friends here be my witness, that I will do everything in my power to find Malia and bring her back. I will not stop until I find her, and I vow to you, Alexander Theodin Morthil, that I will bring your wife back."

"Ditto." Aida agreed "I think I speak for everyone here that we got your back, Zander. We are all going to pull our hardest and our best to bring her back. You can trust us on that."

Seeing everyone nod and voice out their agreement, Zander eyed each one of them and spoke "Thank you. Thank you all. This means a lot to me, and it's great to see so many people promising to help. Thank you."

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it, people! Oh, and Marya is Spanish because I don't believe that in the Ascension AU everyone talks the same language. Oh, and for those who don't know, 'gringo' is a hateful term used by Mexican people to American. I thought it fit.** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	31. Chapter 31: What do we Got?

**Hi there!**

 **So, how is it going? I hope everything is well with your side of the world as it is on mine! Sunny here actually, but too hot to go outside. Lots have been going on here, so apologies for not posting when time is due... ANYWAY I hope you are feeling sunny and rainbows because this chapter holds great power in it.**

 **If you have not been paying attention enough (I know YOU have but who knows...) let's take a step back! So, Malia and Zander were to be married, but she was kidnapped before she could say the magic words. She was taken by Kali Blake, one of the most dangerous men to ever walk the Earth (Kael is a puppy next to him) and why he did so still remains unknown *wink*.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- humanoid, sorry about the OOC, I suppose you are right. I'll try to improve next time!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, thank you for the compliment. I'll try to do more of so.**

 **\- Allie, thank you, honey! :D**

* * *

 **Chapter 31: What do we Got?**

* * *

"Anything?"

"No, I just received a message from Amia and she said that her sources have nothing on it." Sky read the piece of paper "What about you and Kole?"

"Nothing yet." Diego sighed, throwing himself down on their bed "I sent out Marya on an intel collecting mission and I'm waiting for the report to come."

"Who's Marya?" the brunette asked, looking at him "An Eagles member?"

"No, she's a… prostitute that I had something with. She used to work for me too, and I know her methods, so I trust her on that." He replied.

"And there's nothing I should worry about?"

"Of course not." Diego smiled "I love you and my baby. What else could I want?"

"Nothing more, I guess." She laid down on the bed and sighed when the male rested his head on her chest "I may have a couple of ideas, but I'd prefer to wait until we are all together."

"Sky, you called for us." Jace sat down on the couch, looking up to the brunette "What do you need?"

"I'm glad you are all here." She declared, eyeing the occupants of the room: Tillie and Jace on the couch, Aida standing beside the blond, Zander leaning against the wall, looking troubled, and Faelern and Roxanne by the table, with Diego beside herself. "There is something I must talk to you about."

"And what may that be?" Aida asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Reports from the mission. Kole, the Eagles, Calida, Marya and Amia, they are out there, looking for any trace of Malia and Blake, waiting for a breach. And to inform you of why Zander is looking like a gloomy baby over there."

"Sky, knock it off." The moon elf grumbled, a slight blush appearing in his cheeks.

"No. You see, just to calm that fiery ass down, Diego took him in one of the intel-collecting missions. And the intel was… where we first found Malia. Remember? That town with the lady of the Inn?"

"Yeah, I remember!" Tillie exclaimed, giggling "Jace got us all free bedrooms!"

"That one. Well, we went to the town, and we started asking around for Malia. Or… Thaga. I believe you remember such name." Diego spoke.

"Yes, of course." Aida nodded "What happened?"

"Well, remember that little girl that was Malia's number one fan? The one I helped?" Sky asked "When she heard about them asking for whereabouts on Malia, she… she stole a sword from a knight shopping at the blacksmith and started swinging it in Zander's direction, accusing him of 'lacking'. Whatever that meant."

"Oh my Eanna, no way!" Aida exclaimed, letting out a laugh "Seriously? I like her."

"What did you do, Zander?" Jace asked.

"Nothing. She's just a small child, I would never hurt a small child." He declared.

"Even if the small child is aiming at the throat? Of course not." Diego snickered "Anyway, I grabbed the girl and she kept accusing him of lacking and then something happened. Something that my monsters and living-myths ridden soul is finding hard to believe."

"What do you mean, Diego?" Faelern asked, frowning.

"The girl… she closed her eyes and I felt her skin ice-cold. When she opened her eyes again, her jade green eyes were pitch black and her voice came out deep and ragged, almost speaking with a double echo. And her words… I will never forget her words."

"What did she say?" Tillie asked.

 _"'She is to be found when the dead walk the earth and our winged father has had a taste of your soul. Her weeps will be our song, and her blood our wine. Darker days are to come for you, young flame. Many moons will pass until you get your lover back, young flame. But she will not be the same. Leave while you still can, young flame. Her burden is too much for you to carry.'_ That is what she said. Word by word." Zander declared.

"What the hell does that even mean?" Aida rose an eyebrow.

"I have no idea. And after that little speech, she passed out in my arms and her eyes turned green again." The leader of the Eagles shrugged and wrapped his arm around his lover's shoulder.

"'Lacking'? I've heard that term before…" Tillie frowned.

"So have I, when I noticed that we were short on supplies." Aida joked, earning a laugh from Jace and Diego.

"Knock it off, Aida, I mean it. It's a magic term… I think." The dwarf frowned "But it's an old term… Kadan term, even."

"Kadan? Tillie, are you okay? Nobody speaks Kadan anymore." Roxanne frowned "It would be quite impossible for a child, such as you claim that she is, to speak such a difficult language…"

"I know, that is why I find this whole thing strange!"

"Diego, may I read the letters? That you mentioned from your men, from the Queen, Amia and Kole?" Zander asked, looking up to the man.

"Sure." The raven-haired leader dug into his pocket and pulled out five envelops, giving them to male, watching him turn his back and climb the stairs, shutting the door of his bedroom behind himself.

"Am I the only one worried about him?" Aida asked, frowning.

"No. But I'm too scared of him to even say anything." Tillie shook her head, looking up to the door her best friend had disappeared from.

 **.~.~.**

The room was cold and wet, water droplets falling from the stony ceiling and landing with a soft sound in the puddle that had already formed on the floor. The walls were made of stone too, dark and cold, and the only source of light was a flickering torch just outside the thick barred door. Only a tray with a bowl with soup and another with water kept the body lying on the cold floor company, and no warmth source but herself. She was lying on the floor, body weak and fragile, bronze hair spread all over her, clothes ripped and dirty. Chains were bolted to the wall, and the cuffs at the end wrapped around her small wrists.

A solid object made a clanking sound against the door, and the pins were lifted, showing that someone was opening the door, and through it entered a woman. It was dark and none of her facial features could be spotted, but the only occupant of the room – technicalities aside – knew who she was. The new woman took the moldy bread and shed the mold of it, before dipping some into the bowl of food and grabbing the other woman's face pressing the sides of her jaw to forcefully open her mouth and shoved the food down her throat.

Pushing herself loose from the other woman's grip, she spat out the food on her attacker's face, growling after. She wiped the food from her face and slapped the other female with the back of her hand, making her fall on the floor with the brute force. The female on the floor spat of the little blood that she had on her mouth and smirked up to the other, a trail of blood running down the corner of her lip. The bronze haired woman rose to a sitting position and gulped, looking at her dead in the eye.

"You'll regret this." The unknown woman declared.

"Do your worst."

The other darkened woman stood and walked out of the room, closing the heavy door behind her and not once she looked back.

 **.~.~.**

 _Diego,_

 _I've been around Taran with Lys and we have no information of Malia's whereabouts not Kali Blake's. I'm going as far as asking about his two sidekicks and Ryker (Lys is helping out on that part) but nothing yet. I'm sorry. I'm trying but these guys are like ghosts! And you know I hate what I can't see! (pun intended).  
I'll keep looking, I might even stop by that village that Zander stayed for a while. Katta? Ratta? Probably the last one._

 _Be safe,  
Kole & Lys_

"Thank you for the empty letter Kole." Zander said, rolling his eyes. From deep within him, he could hear Malia's voice scolding him and saying _'Rude'_ in her snarky tone and immediately regretted it, mumbling "Sorry, Kole. I know you're trying your best."

 _My friend,_

 _The new that come to my ears are not good. Searches are fruitless, information is vague and roads are blocked. I fear that this will not be as easy as I firstly hoped. My men are onto every lead, and they have encountered Kole and his lover once. I assume they are in the hunt for information as well. Forgive me for the lack of good things to say, but in dark times, rare is the light that dares to show itself._

 _How is Zander? I fear that he might take on the worst of this situation. You are hurting, but don't forget the pain of the man that had the love of his life ripped from his arms._

 _Wish you the best of lucks,  
Queen Calida_

"I'm trying, Your Highness. Thank you for your caring words."

 _Diego,_

 _Mi carta, mi idioma. Pero como esto es sobre Malia..._

 _I have nothing on her yet. I heard from a ... friend that she had a client that once did business with Blake y told me que he was uno hombre malvado. A evil man. I... questioned him and he told me Blake had una base de operaciónes pero he moved out long ago. Still, you may want to check it out._

 _Also, go see Esmeralda. Make sure she has everything she needs._

 _Gracias,  
Scarlet Madam_

"Scarlet Madam? This must be the woman Sky mentioned… the prostitute Diego had something with."

 _Boss,_

 _We found out through an ally within the Falcons that there's a man that knows the location on an old hideout from Blake. Marya confirmed his identity and information. Taran, near Old Ivy and Regulus Black. He is the man that gave us this information. We ran a background check on him and he checks out: he worked for Blake for a while, in the business of exportation of illegal potions. He has no current affiliation with him. We're working on finding his current location._

 _From Greyhawk Squad,  
Jackson_

"Eagles members at its finest. Informative, somewhat helpful, but cold as ice." He declared. Once more, he heard his lovers voice bite back on his ear _'With that attitude, you'll be sure to join them soon'_ and groaned, whispering an apology.

 _Zander,_

 _I have been asking around for information on our beloved Malia. Your father even spared some men to assist in our search when we reached Ildis! If you want my opinion, I thoroughly believe that Lord Morthil wants to help. Despite all that happened, you are still his son. His only son, and the only one brave enough to marry for love. If anything, your father respects you._

 _I will continue to look for more clues to find your wife, and I will continue to update you on the progress. And Zander, talk to your father. And know that, if you ever need a friend, I am here._

 _Love,  
Amia._

"Amia… my friend. Thank you so much, and I am indeed surprised by my father's actions. Maybe he's after something." The male half-smiled. _'Or maybe he's trying to win back the time he lost, you git'_ , her voice said, but he shook it off. "Thank you for your words and I will talk to you soon, my friend."

 **.~.~.**

Aida, Sky and Tillie were in the living room, staring at the walls blankly. They had received the news that one of Blake's known business partner was in town and Diego and Jace had taken off immediately, in the hopes of finding something that they could use to kill Blake. Faelern had offered his services as well and Roxanne wasn't around, the Lith taking upon herself to take Seena away from the house, to catch some fresh hair and hope to get a smile off her. So, in order to not lose anybody – especially an emotion-ridden moon elf – the three were asked to watch over him. Or, in Aida's words, babysit him. Everything was going well, so far.

"NOO!"

The three jumped up from their seat as they had been electrocuted (Sky had no play in this, her enchanted glove was well guarded in a small chest in her room). They stood alert, Aida pulling out her daggers and Tillie holding a bottle filled with a green bubbling liquid and her other arm hovering over Sky's stomach, unconsciously protecting her. They waited for another scream, but all they could catch – Aida's hearing being a lot more accurate – were whimpers. Sky gulped and Tillie sighed.

"Can't he simply be having a nightmare?" she suggested.

"I hope so, but we have to make sure nothing is actually happening before we could go back to staring at the walls." Aida bit her lip "Let's go."

They climbed up the stairs, slowly but steadily, Aida taking charge on, Tillie in the middle and Sky trailing behind them. The closer they got to his room, the more his whimpers grew and his trashing around became more noticeable. "Please, let it be just a nightmare, please Zander." Sky prayed behind them, and the dwarf silently agreed. As they stood behind his door, Aida placed one dagger back in its hilt before placing a hand on the doorknob.

"Please, just leave me alone."

"Please, I can't…I-"

"I… can't… oh gods…"

"Malia… urgh, sTOP!"

"Please, I just… leave me be. I just want to be at peace."

"Please, just let me…"

"Stop, please! Malia!"

"I can't do this anymore. Don't do this to me."

"Please."

"Please…"

"Please!"

"KILL ME IF YOU MUST, BUT JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"That's it." Aida frowned and took the discarded dagger once more "Zander!" the half-noble shouted as she kicked down the door.

He was in the middle of the room, on his knees and sitting back in his heels, his head in his hands and long fingers pulling at his hair. The gaze in his eyes was empty, dull and devoid of emotion, his bright blue eyes now grayish, like they were slowly losing color. His heartbeat was soft, steady and quiet, like the calm before the storm. His shoulders were relaxed, and his fingers were slowly giving up their hold on the raven locks. The man closed his eyes and let his head fall to his chest.

All around him, unnoticed by him was his magic. The magic that had been consuming him, the magic that caused him to scream out for help in the first place was now free, circling him and visible for everyone to see. Six balls of fire, burning in different tones of red and blue hovered around the male, taunting him. Six selective memories, six passions that bounded him to doom. Each one more beautiful than the other, but all too powerful to be touched, let alone be felt. Six balls of fire that formed a hexagram above his head, each linked by a trail of fire that came from his chest.

In the first one, her smile could be seen. Her soft smile, dark red lips giving view to the pearly white teeth with a pair of sharp canines, glowed up to him. The view of the markets could be seen behind her smile, but said image was blurry. All it really mattered was her smile anyway. In the second one, her eyes could be seen. Her beautiful ice blue eyes, the color colder than crystal but the emotion in them warmer than the sun. Her radials – now they noticed – were what gave the blue color its lightness. The blue was the same as Zander's color of eyes, but most of her radials were white, what caused her to have so shocking eyes. Her warmth, her peace, her love, they were all there to greet the watcher, to show them how much she had in her.

In the third one, it was night. It was night and the moon was high up in the sky, showing the ocean its reflection and casting its light upon the pair kissing on the upper deck of the Savage Princess, her hands on his stomach and hair and his on her lower back. Their first kiss ever, on the upper deck of that boat, the raw passion that he felt consuming him the second she placed her lips upon his. In the fourth one, a simple scenario, a moonless night, but none of it mattered because his arms were wrapped tightly around her waist and his face hidden in her loose hair, in one of the nights that he woke up fearing that she had left him. Naturally, her arms were wrapped around his neck, holding on just as tightly as he was.

In the fifth one, a night of raw passion and lust, with their naked bodies moving with each other, sweat dripping down their skin and claw marks being left all over his back, as her neck and chest was showered with love bites and hickeys. The sheet that kept their indecency at bay was wrapped around his waist, his strong arms holding him up and successfully covering her chest from unwanted voyeurs. In the sixth one, a simple image was shown. Their hands, his strong and large hand taking her delicate and small in his own, swinging back and forth. One could ask what could be so special about this memory; well, let me tell you. It wasn't the act in itself, or her warmth. It was that simple sterling silver ring hugging her left ring finger that made it so important.

As the girls stepped inside the room, momentarily forgotten of the reason why they were there in the first place, they couldn't help but stare, mesmerized with the magical view that they were being shown. But they felt it too. What he was keeping within his barriers, within his cool mask of mastered peacefulness. The love, the joy, but the pain. The pain that set Sky crying the second she stepped inside the room. The pain that got Tillie to clutch to her chest and the pain that almost broke Aida.

The balls of fire began to dissolve and absorbed back inside his body. The more he took in, the more the emotions devoured him, making him grab on to dear life the only thing he had of close: his own body, to make sure he wasn't falling apart. That's what it felt like, anyway. As the fire came to a nonexistent physical view, the male just got worse and worse. Sky managed to stop crying, Tillie took a deep breath and Aida stood up, wiping the unshed tears from her eyes. His whimpers filled the room, and the girls didn't have the strength to move.

"Please…"

His tortured voice called out to all gods and goddesses out there and no one at the same time. He wanted to be rid of the emotions he let out just moments ago. He wanted to be free of the pain that was consuming him, the pain that wrenched his heart and gutted him alive. He wanted to be rid of it because, at the moment, to feel nothing was preferable to be feeling _this_. This… pain. This misery, this grueling feeling that was eating him alive. He wanted it to be over. He just wanted it to be over…

"Please, let it be over…"

He thought of her one more time. Her smiles, her voice, her eyes. Her kisses, her touches, her love. Her raw and pure love, as fierce as the color of her hair. He missed her, he wanted her, he _needed_ her, but as the mere thought of her gave him peace, it also brought him agony. She wasn't there, when he needed her, and he was in no shape to fight for her! Who took her broke him. She was his life, his only reason. He could still feel her heartbeat inside his own chest. That gave him hope, but he needed to find strength.

Suddenly, his world shifted. As his heart stopped, so did hers at the same time. But, this time, only his started to beat again.

"MALIA!"

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it! Oh, and about Malia... the right guess is usually the right one. I'll try to post the next one on time and** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	32. Chapter 32: Airdan?

**Okay, so _maybe_ I have an alarm on my computer that shouts at me to post a new chapter...**

 **What's up guys, gals and non-binary pals?! This is LoneeWolf, and I am back to bring you a new chapter! So, last chapter was something... I've read your reviews and let me tell you, they were... interesting, to say the least. And before you can all start asking me life-threatening questions (thinking of you Dommie) let me just say that life is life and sometimes things happen, things that most of us don't want to happen.**

 **But before I start spoiling myself... REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, I can't say if anything will happen to Malia or not. Don't make me, please xD As to Zander pulling himself together, maybe you should give it a try. Imagine the most precious person in your world and now picture her/him being taken from you... how would you react?**

 **\- Kali, hi! It killed me too, when I wrote it xD And thank you!**

 **\- boop, In the dungeon? ... who knows *wink* and I know xD thank you for your review!**

 **\- Dommie, I'm sure you will get your answers in the following chapters! Although I think you will get the point in this one... Come on, boy/girl... you can't really expect me to tell you everything ;)**

 **ALSO, warning! This chapter may provide some visual content and pure sexyness from certain characters!**

 **Okay, that's it... ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 32: Airdan?**

* * *

A cloaked figure made his way inside the darkened building, passing numerous members of the Eagles without a second glance. His presence made the men stop their doings and look at him, but none put him to a stop. He climbed up the stairs and crossed a corridor, and knocked three times on the large dark wooden doors. They opened after a few moments, showing Marya at the door and Diego sitting on a chair with his legs over a desk covered with papers, books and writing material. The cloaked figure walked to the other male and placed a roll of parchment right in front of him.

"This soon?" the raven-haired male rose an eyebrow.

"I had no further business with the inhabitants of that island." The figure spoke "Besides, I have people waiting for me here."

"Of course you do. You are in need to receive some information, however, before you are to see her again." Diego spoke "The reward?"

"Already in the safe house, sir."

"And your rewards?" he asked again.

"My rewards are none of your concern… _sir_."

"Loosen up, my friend…" Diego chuckled "Marya, come here. Meet one of my oldest companions. Dude, shed your cape. You're in safe grounds, you don't need that anymore."

"Thanks, Diego." The figure spoke, removing the cape and revealing his identity, a dark-purple skinned moon elf with butter-caramel eyes and navy-blue hair.

"Hello." The woman spoke.

"Good morning. I'm Airdan."

"Pleasure, Airdan. I am Marya."

"Diego, what's going on? What information were you talking about?" but before Diego could answer, the door burst open to reveal no other than… Tillie.

"Diego, you dumb frog, you better get your ass in the house because Sky-!" she exclaimed, before noticing her lover. Reaching out to her right thigh, she pulled out a pocket knife and threw it in his direction.

"What the hell?!" Airdan let out, barely dodging the object "Tillie, what was that for?!"

"Is he for real?!" the question was directed to Diego, who nodded.

"Tillie! Diego, what the hell?" the moon elf said, grabbing his left cheek, that sported a cut now "What was that for?"

"I'm sorry Airdan, but we just had to make sure. Marya was going to attack you if Tillie didn't decide to do so first by appearing in my office uninvited!" Diego frowned.

"Well, I'm sorry, it's not my fault that I was raced out of the house and told not to come back without your pretty ass by no other than your pregnant girlfriend! Besides, she's going through some difficulties, so I thought you should know."

"Sky's having difficulties?" Diego stood up "I'm on my way."

"Can someone explain to me what the hell is going on?! Sky's pregnant? And Tillie, why did you attack me?"

"Don't take it personal, love." Tillie answered, walking to him and planting a kiss over his lips "We'll have enough time to catch up, I promise. But right now, Diego wants to see Sky."

"Okay." He took her hand and followed Diego back to their house, while hearing him tell how the mission went.

Diego pushed the front door open and looked around, easily spotting his girlfriend. She was sitting by the window on a stool. Her blue eyes were shining, her gaze distracted while looking out of the window, and her tanned skin glowing. The young woman showed evident signs of her pregnancy, her stomach making a noticeable bump. Her hair was loose, her having grown it out at his request, and she was wearing a peach colored dress, a halter dress with no back that fell to her ankles. The female had it hitched to her hips, the ball of her left foot supporting her while the other swung softly back and forth, both bare. The male walked to her and wrapped his arms around her, caressing her stomach while planting a kiss on her shoulder.

"Hey baby."

"Hi, Diego."

"What's going on? You sent Tillie to get me?"

"Yeah… the baby… is giving me some trouble… he doesn't stop kicking and I'm feeling extremely light headed…" she told him, placing her hands over his.

"Come on…" he whispered "Want a massage?"

"Yes, please. That would be formidable." She smiled.

"Tillie, can you fill Airdan on the latest events?" he asked "I'm going to take Sky to our room."

"Sure. Take your time." She smiled and motioned the moon elf to sit on the sofa.

The couple went upstairs and Diego led them to his room, closing the door behind himself after letting the brunette inside. He smiled at her and motioned for her to sit down, but Sky shook her head. She took his hand and sat him down on the bed, with his back against the headboard. She then sat on his lap and stripped him of his black shirt, smiling down at him before stealing a soft kiss from him. He placed his hands on her thighs and riddled the dress up a few inches, looking at her with questioning eyes.

"Sky?"

"Yes?"

"Is the baby really giving you trouble?"

"He was… he was kicking really hard until I sang to him." She smiled, running her fingers over his collarbone.

"And now? What is this?" he lifted an eyebrow.

"Me missing our intimate moments and trying to get a piece back." She purred, leaning down and kissing his neck.

"Sky… you're pregnant."

"So?"

"So… we shouldn't do this. It might… I don't know, hurt the baby." He tried, but her kisses were making him weak.

"Diego, it's been two months." She pulled away for a moment "Are you seriously telling me that you don't want it?"

"Of course I do, Sky. But I'm worried about the baby."

"Well… a girl would think that you're not interested anymore…" she looked away.

"Are we really gonna have this conversation again? Sky, I want you. I am not fucking anybody else, and I am not working out steam with anybody; except maybe my left hand. Sky… this is what you do to me." He bit his lip and grinded hard against her, showing her his hard-on "You really think I wouldn't want you? Seeing you looking like a goddess in those plain dresses that you like to wear so much and knowing that you're pregnant with my child is a huge turn on!"

"I turn you on…? Even with this…" she pointed at her large stomach "size?"

"Baby… want me to show you?" he smirked.

"Yes." She smiled.

 **.~.~.**

"I went away for three months, and hell comes crashing down on all of you?" Airdan asked.

"Pretty much. Sorry about the knife, we had to take some measures after the attack." Tillie smiled up to him, crossing her legs.

"Attack?"

"Yeah… you see, the people that took Malia… they decided to attack us again. They hired a woman to pretend to be Malia and come to us. Sky bought the story immediately, Aida took some convincing and with her went Jace. She looked exactly like Malia, though. A potion of some sorts. I eventually fell for the act too, and the guys followed. The only ones that didn't fall for it were Diego and Seena. Zander wasn't here for the time being, he was on a mission with Kole. Diego I could understand, I mean the guy has lived his entire life with her, so it's understandable, but Seena? I couldn't fully understand her."

"An Ileth is rarely easy to understand. A Lith's bond with a person is something from the soul, especially if the person has already been in contact with the Lith's spirit – which Malia has, when Seena healed her – so it's understandable that Seena didn't accept the 'fake' Malia… because deep down, she knew it wasn't _her_ Malia." Airdan explained, playing with her ginger locks.

"Well, that explains why it was Seena the one that uncovered the truth…" Tillie realized "She came to terms with her spirit's message. Anyway, that's why I attacked you. We thought it was another of their attempts."

" 'Another'? They tried it again?"

"Yeah. This time, impersonating Zander. Zander himself came back earlier from the mission and my brain is still scarred with watching two Zanders fight to death." The dwarf told him "Kind of impressive though."

"What happened to the two fakers?" the male asked.

"Zander killed… fake-Zander and Diego told us he took care of the woman… I didn't ask for specifics." She told him.

"I see… and Malia? Any clues on where Blake took her?"

"Not yet. We're searching, we got something close to a small army looking for her and Blake. But nothing popped up yet." She sighed "I really do miss her though. She brought sheer happiness here. And she put up with Zander, which is an accomplishment by itself."

"Speaking of Zander, where is he? I need to have a word with him."

"Probably on the training grounds with Aida. But why? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, love. I want to give him something… a part of the reward I got from the three months mission."

"What may that be?" Tillie puffed her cheeks.

"Relax, I have something for you too." Airdan said "Something I was planning on keeping for later incidents, but Zander might need it more. It's a charm."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." He declared, standing "Training grounds, huh? I'll be back. Perhaps… waiting in our bedroom would be a good idea?"

"Okay… but don't take too long, okay?" she smiled sweetly at him, standing up and kissing him lightly "You have a lot of making up to do."

"I know, love…" he nodded, and walked out of the house.

The male dusted his black pants and went to the training grounds, that were located behind the Queen's castle. He walked fast, patting the pockets of his cape to feel the object in one of the inside pockets. Reaching the location, he looked around only to dodge a fireball at the last minute, crouching on the ground and pulling out a dagger. Frowning when he saw no one, he stood back up and walked ahead, his dagger firmly held in his hand. Suddenly, he stooped, spotting Aida with one knee on the ground, one of her daggers discarded.

"Aida!" Airdan exclaimed, and the woman turned in his direction "It's me, the real one."

"Airdan!" she exclaimed, standing up and walking to him "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to talk to Zander, and Tillie told me he was here with you." He looked around "Where may he be?"

"He's over there." She pointed to the darkened figure "HEY ELF!"

"WHAT?!"

"AIRDAN'S HERE TO SEE YOU, YOU DIPSHIT! COME HERE!" she yelled, and soon the mage was running in her direction.

"What? Oh, hi Airdan. Back so soon?" the mage nodded.

"I was gone for three months, you call that soon?" he rose an eyebrow.

"With all that's been going on, yeah. Time flies." Aida scratched her head "Okay, I'll leave you too lovebirds to talk. Where's Jace?"

"No idea." Airdan replied, and watched the noble walk away.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Zander asked, wiping the sweat off his face "Sorry about being so messy, if I knew…"

"It's okay, Zander." The other male smiled "Tillie told me everything that's happened."

"Oh."

"Yes, and I do not wish to open wounds that I know you're trying to close, but I must tell you that it won't be easy. And I know that you already know that, but sometimes, an assurance is always needed."

"Yeah, I know." The male sighed "It takes all the willpower I have and more to even get out of bed, Airdan… it hurts so fucking much…"

"I know, Zander." Airdan patted his back "But know that you'll learn to live with it. In the meantime, however, I have something for you."

"You do?"

"Yes. You see, when I went on this mission, I was given some rewards… the one requested by the Eagles is already stored, but I received some other… rewards. One of them being… this."

The male reached inside his pocket and pulled out a crystal shard with a thin silver chain locked to it. The shard was clear like water, and had a tetragonal shape. Zander took it in hand and observed it, before gasping: the shard started changing colors. In a swirling motion, colors started to take over the once clear structure. Like wild fire, the colors spread to take over the shard, whirling around, blue and red fighting for dominance, gold lining the two fighters. The mage's hand shook, as he looked up to Airdan.

"Don't look at me like that, Zander. Your heart knows what it means and what that is, doesn't it?"

"But… it's impossible. This kind of magic doesn't exist anymore. It died with the Old Kingdom." Zander shook his head.

"The magic was forbidden for a reason, Zander. Because it was the result of pure happiness, and not everyone deserves it…"

"Then why did they take her?" he asked "If she's my true happiness… then why?"

"Who said love was easy?" Airdan smiled "I'm going back to Tillie… I'll leave you to your thoughts."

"Hey Airdan?" Zander called, watching the male leave.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Of course."

The moon elf walked back to the house, stopping by the markets to purchase a bridal hair comb that he had seen earlier, the jewelry had a row of lovely teal roses, and the man knew that his lover would adore the accessory. Giving the money to the merchant, he smiled and took the fastest route to the house, arriving few minutes later. Entering, he stopped by the bathroom to wash his face and comb his hair, before taking a quick look at the small mirror they had and sighing, filling his chest with confidence before climbing the stairs and facing her bedroom door. Opening it, he walked inside and closed the door behind himself.

"Tillie? Where are you?"

"Right here, honey." Her voice called out.

He looked in her direction and let out a gasp. There, standing, was Tillie. Her right arm was behind her head and her left hidden behind her, hips cocked to the side and biting her lower lip softly, as her legs were crossed. Now, the pose in itself was already sexy, but what she was wearing was what set Airdan off the most: a black see-through babydoll with a back and teal flowery bra, with a teal lining at the edge and a black thong. The male sucked in a breath and took in her appearance, gulping as he tried to keep himself from drooling.

"How do I look?" she suggested, giving him a soft smile and a wink.

The moon elf stripped off his shirt, bit his lip and advanced to her, grabbing her waist and pulling her up, feeling the dwarf wrap her legs around him. As she felt the touch of the wall on her back, she asked "We're not going to be leaving this room that early, are we?"

"Nope." He answered, and kissed her.

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it! Tillie be looking like a bombshell! Oh, and the image I used for reference for Sky is here 186969822010831207 (just copy and paste that on google and you'll find it)! It's Juvia from Fairy Tail, btw.  
** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	33. Chapter 33: What Happened?

**Hey, ya'll! Explanation! I was to plan this yesterday, but I was invited to a pool party and me being the mermaid I am (this joke makes more sense in Portuguese, I swear), I went and I got home at... midnight. But I was _tired_ and pwease let me sweeep!**

 **Hii there and how's it going? Everything is well in this side of the world, how is everything there? Tell me, I want to know! So, today we have some interesting development in the story. And it's about one character that we are yet to know much about! Write down on a piece of paper who your guess is and when you read the whole thing, let me know if you got it right!**

 **So... REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, thank you ^^**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, hey gurl! I missed you! And thank you so much :3**

 **\- Kali, She is, isn't she? And Kali, do you really believe that? And sorry for the shortness... And that crystal/charm thing is a very important thing... take note of that ;)**

 **\- Dommie, I will not confirm nor deny said words ^^ and yeah, mine two. I had to write that, imagine that xD Also, the blue/red/gold crystal? Something very important. Keep that in your mind, okay? And you have a beautiful name Dommie. Dominic. Whichever name you wish me to call you.**

 **\- boop, I'm glad you liked it! I had to do some serious diging to find it. CREDITS TO THE CREATOR THO. And boop, my dear and sweet creature, that, like I said to Kali and Dommie, is very important. It's a very powerful charm that will be used in a very important moment. Let's wait for that moment, okay?**

 **Okay again, credits for the creator of said image used in the previous chapter, and FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT READ IT, the charm given to Zander by Airdan is a very important one, so keep it in mind, okay?**

 **With nothing more to say...** **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 33: What Happened?**

* * *

"Are you ready to go?" Diego asked, turning to the woman beside him.

"Yes. Are you sure you don't mind leaving Sky with Aida and a moody Faelern?" she asked, grabbing her bag and hoisting it over her shoulder.

"It'll be safer for her… I'm not risking her life nor my kid's." he replied, walking out of the gates of his country.

"It's a week's trip." She pointed out.

"Tillie, Sky is five months pregnant." The leader pointed out, turning to her "I am not taking her on a mission with me, when we don't even know what we may find."

"Okay, Mr. Scary Pants. Got it." The dwarf smiled, placing a hand on the croup of the brown horse that would take her to the docks "Relax, will you. And Jace, hurry up!"

"I'm going, I'm going!" the blond exclaimed, jogging to meet them "Sorry, but the belt was giving me trouble… I need to buy a new one."

"Yeah, it looks pretty spent…" Tillie observed, climbing on top of her horse as her teammates did the same.

"We'll look for that when we return. Now let's go. The boat won't wait for us." Diego declared, snapping the reins of his horse.

The ride to the docks was quiet, the only words that left Diego's mouth was the small mention that Kole and Lys would be joining them in Taran. Once they got to the docks, the leader disappeared and Tillie and Jace were left to occupy the four days the trip took with training, preparation and chatting. Four days passed, and the group was porting in the docks, the fresh and musky air of Taran welcoming them to the new country. Leaving the boat, Tillie looked around to find Kole and was surprised when she saw Lys alone, in the middle of the crowd.

"Lys!" she called, running to her.

"Oh, Tillie! Great pleasure to see you!" the girl smiled and hugged her "How was the trip?"

"It was nice… we encountered some ruckus in the sea, but Nina is a great captain and she got us out of it in one piece." The dwarf smiled "Hey Jace! Diego! Lys is here!"

"Lys…" Jace smiled when he saw the young woman "Hi."

"Hello, Jace. Diego."

"Hi. Where's Kole?"

"He wanted to scout out the surroundings of the warehouse to make sure there were no traps. He asked me to come pick you up." She explained, taking Tillie's hand and walking the group to the carriage that awaited them "He said he wasn't entering the place, though. He promised me he wouldn't put himself under that liability."

"And you believed him?" Diego raised an eyebrow.

"Why wouldn't I?" the crimson-haired female frowned "Kole doesn't lie to me. I trust him."

"You trust everybody. That's dangerous, woman."

"You're dangerous, and I trust you. I see nothing wrong with that."

"You're a powerful weapon, you know?" Jace commented.

"What do you mean?" she asked, smiling when Jace held the carriage door open for them to enter, following them right after.

"Trust leads us to tell people things we don't want the world to know. When trust is big, we end up knowing secrets about someone, secrets that can break them, secrets that can destroy them." He explained, motioning to the coachman to move along "You're a powerful weapon because if you wanted… you could destroy us by using our secrets against us."

"I am aware. But I choose not too… because you are my friends. And friends protect each other." Lys undid her ponytails and began to braid her hair "I care for you, just like I care for Tillie or Diego. Sure, some of you are killers, others fight in the name of something and others thrive in the knowledge. But the secrets I hold are never to be told. That's the way I am."

"You're a strange girl, Lys." Jace smiled "I've never met anyone like yourself."

"I would hardly doubt if you did." She replied, tying her crimson tips with a leather band "We're not that common."

"'We'?" Diego frowned, but the coachman called out "We're here!"

The group left the carriage and watched it leave, before turning to the building in front of them. It was a rather dark building with stony walls covered in green fluffy moss, showing how the nature had taken over the human structure and made it her own; intrinsic designs in the rocks made Tillie frown, as she could tell snakes arching over the entrance, and other reptilians following them. It was a simple building, large but simple, but there was more to the story than that. The columns, the pillars embedded in the rocks that made the building made the latter too unique to be considered a normal building.

But the observation was cut short when Kole showed up from the trees that surrounded the building, his hair messy and his left leg limping. As he saw the group, a smile appeared on his face and he hurried his pace in their direction, flinching when he placed too much weight on the apparently-injured leg. Diego watched him and went to his side, helping him and sitting him down in one of the rocks near. The other three ran to the two males, Lys kneeling down in front of her lover and biting her lip, her eyes watery.

"Kole, what happened?" she asked, observing the gash on his left thigh.

"A trap hidden in the forest." He exclaimed, flinching when Lys ripped the fabric to take a better look at the wound "I managed to disable and I was following the trail of the weapon's direction and it would end here. It was magic activated, so… I guess I did the right thing when I destroyed that thing."

"Oh, Kole…" Tillie sighed.

"It's okay, I'm a fast healer. You guys can go on ahead. The building is clear." He replied, groaning when Lys parted the skin to see if there was something inside the cut.

"Go, I'll take care of him." Lys nodded. The group nodded and walked to the building. Tillie looked over the couple to see if they needed help only to frown when Lys ran her palms together and snapped her fingers on her sides, but didn't have time to say anything because as Jace opened the door, the three were sucked inside the facility.

The warehouse was empty. The stony walls were tall – taller than they seemed outside – and dark, the moss spreading like wildfire. The pillars that kept the ceiling steady seemed bitten, as if a great fight happened there and some of the blows hit the structures. The floor had areas covered with the same green organism that covered the walls, but there was a large empty circle in the middle of the area that had no living flora nor fauna. Even the few butterflies that fed from the small white flowers that grew across the room avoided that empty circle like a plague. It seemed dead, like it was burnt. Various objects were scattered across the room, from broken glasses to pieces of iron and even small rocks from the supposed fighting blows that had hit walls and pillars.

"What is this place?" Jace asked.

"I have no idea. But we better check for traps." Diego decided, and the three palmed, touched and analyzed every piece of structure in there, coming out empty-handed in the end.

"There's nothing here." Tillie frowned.

"I wouldn't call it nothing…" Kole's voice echoed in the walls. The three turned and saw the man enter the building, hand in hand with Lys and the lilac cloth that the female usually wore around her waist wrapped around his injury.

"Kole! Are you okay?" Jace asked.

"Yeah, Lys patched me up just fine."

"What did you mean by 'I wouldn't call it nothing'?" the leader of the cartel asked.

"Well… of course there are no living beings here, aside – of course – of the animals and plants, but there's a way of checking for magic signatures in specific areas." He explained "There's a spell that can tell us which magic has crossed this place and, as I'm sure that you know Malia's magic signature well, we can check if she was ever here or not. The fresher the signature, the less time has passed since the person left."

"I know that spell." Tillie smiled "I can conjure it. Zander would be a lot better at this, but I can pull it off."

Tillie grabbed her bag and pulled out a piece of white chalk, and placed it on the floor, closing her eyes and beginning to draw. When she was done, she had drawn a circle inside a four-pointed star and this inside another circle. She walked outside and returned with a handful of grass, before taking her flask and a small bottle with a greyish powder inside. She sat inside the smaller circle and told them to stay back, that it might cause an explosion. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes.

"Here we go…" she said to herself. She poured the powder on one of the tips of the star and initiated the spell.

Clashing two rocks together to make a spark above the powder, she declared "I call for fire, source of knowledge", and she lit the powder on fire; "I call for the water, blood in our veins" and she poured some water in the opposite tip; "I call for the air, breath in our lungs", as she blew on another tip; "I call for the earth, clay of our bodies", throwing a handful of grass onto the remaining tip. Raising her head to the ceiling, she finished "As I give my spirit to show us the light."

A sonic wave originated from her body and spread all across the room, clashing against the walls before vanishing. Everything was quiet for a second, before a red spiral started spinning near Tillie, a small white spark glowing behind it and a blue fire ignited in the circle that had no moss covering it. However, the blue fire seemed strange. The flame was twitching, changing colors from blue to golden to red and back. The group frowned, but then they saw the flame rise and move forward, clashing against the spiral and the spark, before all three disappeared.

"What was that?" Jace let out.

"That…" Tillie explained, standing up with difficulty "was the last fragment of magic this place saw."

"Miss Tillie, are you okay?" Kole asked, hearing the troubled breathing of the dwarf and her troubled steps.

"That spell takes a lot of energy, I'm sorry." She declared, collapsing on the floor "Zander can uphold it better than I can, but we had no time to waste… I just need some time to rest."

"Tillie… I'll help." Lys smiled, and walked to her. As she kneeled beside her, she did the exact same movement as before, with Kole: she ran her palms together and snapped her fingers on her sides, and placed her hands on both sides of her head, before moving them to her forehead and back of the head and finally crossing both hands over the dwarf's heart. "Better?"

"Yeah…" she frowned, sitting up straight, feeling nothing more of the spiritual tiredness that had taken over her when she finished the spell "How did you do that?"

"You, Ms. Sky, Seena and Mr. Zander are not the only ones that can do magic." She smiled.

"What are you?"

"Okay, so we have to assume that the blue flame was Malia." Diego declared "So that means that the red spiral and the white spark was Blake and one of his minions."

"Yes." Jace nodded "But the fire… it couldn't be Malia. The fire was golden and red too. Malia's fire is blue."

"It's strange." Tillie stood up slowly with the help of the couple "When I was feeling the energy of the flame… it's confusing."

"What do you mean, confusing, Miss Tillie?" Kole asked.

"I mean… the spell is designed to feel energies of people and show where they were, how long has passed since they were here. Individual people. That flame… it was almost like I was feeling too many people in one alone. I don't understand."

"We should get out and go back. We need time to think this through and the four days that the ship takes to get to Adeshia is the perfect time." Diego declared, grabbing Tillie's bag and helping Kole move the dwarf.

They reached the port soon after, and entered the boat just in time. Nina walked them to their rooms, and promised to be back and bring a warm soup for Tillie to gather her strengths. As the dwarf sat in her bed, she watched Lys curiously. The males were outside, making any preparations needed and helping the crew, and the ginger took her time to try and find out about Lys. She was a strange creature indeed. Too kind for her own good, an exotic beauty, a soft personality… she was comparable to a bunny! Cute and adorable, but strong and respected. Where to begin?

"If you have a question, Miss Tillie, it is best if you ask it before you forget. Or before you lose the nerve to do so." Lys' soft voice rang in her ears, and she smiled.

"Indeed I have, although I find quite impossible to forget my question as it is quite a persistent one. Sit next to me, please."

"Okay." She did as the dwarf said, and sat next to her, cocking her head to the side "What is it?"

"I wonder about you. I've always had, as you came out of the blue with no other than Kole, the carefulness impersonated. But today… you just made my questions sprout like a flower. I want answers, Lys."

"Ask them, then. I've always thought of myself as an open book. What is it that you need to know about me?"

"How did you heal me? How did you heal Kole today? What was that movement of the snap of the fingers that I saw you doing?" Tillie asked.

"That is a lot of questions. But I will answer all with one alone." The brown eyed woman smiled "It's in my blood."

"In your blood?" the ginger-head rose an eyebrow.

"We – Kole and I – never told you how we met, have we?"

"No."

"Well… for now, all you need to know is that he found me in Kaeldor Island. I was there with… family, and he found me. He heard me, actually, and he found me strange. So, he took me to his camp that he had set there and wondered about me. I of course never answered. But when I started to… he understood me better than anyone."

"Oh…" she let out, not knowing what to say "What were you doing in Kaeldor Island? That place is a maze of forests and wild animals!"

"I lived there. I went there when I was fourteen, and I started living there. Only when I left was when I found out about me. And my parents, of course. Kole used his Eagles influence to find information on my parents, and help me find myself."

"What about your parents?"

"Tillie, the reason why I could heal you and Kole and the movement and me living in that island… is because I'm a descendant of a Druid family. The Gallagher's. Understand now?"

"A Druid? I thought you were… extinct." Tillie let out "You know… because of the war."

"We just went into hiding. Because of my time in Kaeldor, I forgot about my family, but Kole helped me remember."

"Wait… you mean it's true?"

"What's true?"

"That Druids can transform into animals?"

"Animal." Lys corrected "Unlike the widespread belief, a Druid is not a shapeshifter. We can change into one, and one animal alone. Our spirit animal. In my case… a white fox. I was taken to Kaeldor because no other place could allow a white fox to walk around. And I was hunting with my tiger family when Kole found me."

"What's your name?"

"My name?"

"Yes. Druids have a druid name, and I don't think 'Lys' is a druid name."

"It isn't, but I prefer it."

"Can I know your Druid name?"

"Emrys. And yes, Kole knows about my real name and my identity. And he doesn't mind."

"I see. Thank you, Lys. For your answers."

"Sure. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to check on Kole." She stood up and left the room.

 **.~.~.**

"You're back!" Roxanne exclaimed, placing Seena on the ground and running to Lys, hugging her.

"Hey, Roxanne." Lys smiled "How are you?"

"I'm okay. Hello, there."

"Roxanne." They nodded, still blown away by the touchy-feely relationship that Lys and her shared.

"Come, everyone is waiting. Seena and Sky have been baking a cake for us." The Lith led Lys by the hand and the rest followed, Diego impatient to see his girlfriend.

"Hi guys!" her cheerful voice was heard, and greetings were exchanged.

When it was all over, the whole group sat at the table. Diego and Zander at the heads, Faelern, Roxanne, Lys, Kole and Seena in one side and Aida, Jace, Sky, Tillie and Airdan at the other. They were sitting down and eating the food that the girls – Roxanne, Sky and Aida had cooked – and enjoying their time, sharing details about the mission and the week they had spent apart. Apparently, Aida managed to piss off Catalina by burning down one of the rooms of the Silk while in a fight with Faelern, and the two were currently working as servants to pay for damages. When Diego told them about the spell, Zander asked Tillie why she had pushed herself, and a fight of honors immediately settled, ended by the mother-like order that came from Sky, demanding that the two shut up or they wouldn't get dessert. Everybody loves chocolate cake and is terrified of angry-moma-Sky, so I believe you can guess what happened after.

They were chilling and resting after the feast, Tillie with Airdan in their room, Faelern and Roxanne playing cards against Seena and Zander, Jace and Aida were in their room as well and Kole and Lys had decided to go out and Diego were sitting on the couch, the brunette in his arms, sleeping peacefully. Diego looked up to see Vanessa – Catalina's helper – walk down the street in their direction, and warned Zander to open the door and check what she wanted, for he didn't feel like moving and waking up his lover.

"Vanessa?" Zander asked, opening the door seconds after someone knocked on it "What are you doing here?"

"Hi Zander. Hum, a raven dropped this in the Silk with instructions to be given to you. It's from a… Amia?" she gave him the note "It came with a small package."

"Let me see the package." He asked, and thanked her.

"I need to get going, but if it is about… her, let me know. Okay?"

"Okay. Bye, Vanessa."

"Bye, Zander." She smiled and left. The mage closed the door after her and walked inside, frowning at the small message on the note.

 _Your father found something.  
Open it.  
– A_

The male gave the note to Diego, whom was looking up to him expectantly, and ripped the paper of the package, opening the small box and dropping it immediately after he caught a glimpse of what was inside. Gulping harshly, he stepped back, his breathing uneven and his eyes scared. Knowing that something was wrong, Diego moved from behind Sky – waking her up as a result – and picked up the box, gasping when he saw what it was.

Inside the box, folded neatly…

… Was Malia's necklace.

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it! Lord Morthil is trying, Amia is a sweetheart, Lys is a mystery and Vanessa has a crush on Zander. OMG MALIA'S NECKLACE! What the hell just happened?** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **AGAIN, CREDIT TO THE CREATOR OF THE IMAGE I USED FOR LAST CHAPTER! (I do not want to be sued, god damn)**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	34. Chapter 34: Faded Magic

**What's up?**

 **So, today is my bro-bro's birthday and I can't stay for long, so I'm just gonna drop this right here and be on my merry way. I have cake waiting for me! I hope everything is well on your side of the world, and if not, just tell me what's wrong and maybe I can help you! Who knows, I might have some wisdom in me after all!**

 **So... REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, the next one is coming right now! Read ahead ;)**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thank you for your kind words. I will try to give Tillie a little more spotlight!**

 **\- Kali, you're engaged? Congratulations! And I'm glad you liked that spell. As to Tillie being weakened... Tillie is a Potion Alchemist, which means she makes potions. That spell was Elemental / Object magic. Object magic is a type of magic that is a lot harder to withstand. And Zander could perform that spell better than Tillie because he was born with Elemental magic, so his body and mind were more used to the drag of power that using that kind of magic takes.. Understand?**

 **\- Dommie, try Adventures of Merlin ;) and who knows? Honestly, there's always a way to cheat Death, and I myself know a few! I can tell you one of them... and that is: don't get yourself in the mess in the first place. Also, Malia's fire was different because of a certain element that I will reveal soon. I promise ^^**

 **\- boop, a Druid is considered to be a member of high-class in ancient Celtic cultures. They are also portrayed as protectors of Nature and sorcerers, users of a special kind of magic, and that is how Lys managed to heal Kole and Tillie. The 'hand movement' is what is needed to make the magic.**

 **Okay, I guess that is it for today's chapter.**

 **With nothing more to say...** **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3** **4: Faded Magic**

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"Is that what I think it is?" Sky asked, frowning.

"Unfortunately." Diego responded, closing his eyes.

"Crap." The brunette sighed "I'm going to go get the guys."

"Stay here with Zander. I'll get them." Roxanne declared, standing up and walking upstairs, her steps followed by indignant shouts and high-pitched screams. Once she came downstairs, she was followed by the couples in the rooms, Jace putting on his shirt, Tillie wearing Airdan's tunic, Aida fixing her braid and Airdan looking away with flustered cheeks. She settled against the table, smirking, and claimed "They're here."

"Damn…" Sky frowned "Whoever looked at you, would think that she barged in on you!"

Aida glared at her best friend and that was all it took for her to start laughing "Oh my Eanna, she did barge in on you!"

"Shut up, Sky." The noble growled.

"It's not exactly pleasant when someone breaks inside your room and leaves only with a message to go down to the living room. Especially when you're getting busy with your girlfriend!" Jace exclaimed.

"Not my fault you took so long to get it up." Roxanne shrugged "But enough of this. We have news."

"Eanna must have come down on earth for that one." Aida growled.

"It's about Malia."

"Oh." She let out "Talk then."

"Lord Morthil found Malia's necklace." Seena replied.

"Zander's father? What the hell?" Jace replied.

"Yeah, he… I was told that he wanted to retrieve our relationship and he is currently aiding Amia in the search for Malia. He's… he's helping. Really." Zander explained, leaning against the wall with crossed arms.

"I believe you." Airdan declared "Now, what should we do with this added information?"

"I have an idea." Roxanne declared "First, I need to see, as everyone here, if her fire is still burning. Tillie, help me out."

"Okay." The dwarf nodded, and took the necklace from Diego's hands, walking to the table and putting it down "This is object magic, so we're going to need… candles. And Airdan, go to our room, in my bag… there's a tiny blue bottle that Aida stole for me. Get it for me, will you?"

"The Dragon tears?" Aida raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." She nodded "Plus, I need red wine."

"You need red wine for the spell?" Sky frowned.

"No, I'm thirsty," Tillie smiled "Roxanne, join me here please."

"Of course." And she sat across Tillie on the table, joining hands with her, and closed her eyes.

"Here is the bottle, love." Airdan placed the bottle right in front of her.

"Thank you, honey." She smiled and began to whisper under her breath "Roxanne?"

"Thread of fabric that made the jewelry; rock that broke to form the gem; handsy hands from where this derives, show us if the owner of the necklace lives." The Lith called out and Tillie threw a pinch of the golden dust over the necklace, making a small white flame with a golden lining erupt.

"It worked!" Aida exclaimed.

"Not the way we wanted to." Roxanne observed "We're looking at faded magic."

"What's faded magic?" Sky asked.

"It's the shell of magic that is left once it's user… perishes." Lys explained "Magic usually leaves traces on heartfelt objects of the user. Once the user dies, the traces become empty. They become shadows of the power."

"And the effect shown is white. The color white." Tillie sniffed "But the golden lining… it's something that I've never seen before. It might be an indication that she still lives, Zander. And we must continue to try and find her. Zander, I…"

"Like you said," he gulped "there's still a chance. And that means I'm not giving up on her, I'm not giving up on finding her. And… if by any chance, she does perish… I have a way from there."

Everyone looked at him, but only the sound of a chair falling on the floor followed by a loud slap was heard in the silence. Zander stood, with his face turned to the side and Tillie in front of him, arm raised and fingers spread for more damage. His cheek started reddening from the strength of the slap, and a small tear started running down his left eye. His Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped, and a small puff of breath came out of his parted lips. Tillie started shaking, her lower lip quivering, as she lowered her arms and turned both hands into fists.

"ARE YOU STUPID?!" she screamed.

"Tillie…" he let out.

"You can't be serious, Zander! I am not going through this with you again! This is the most insane idea that has ever crossed your mind and you better forget about it before I beat it out of you!"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" he roared "Do you have any idea what it's like?! No, you don't! It takes every will in me to leave the bed, Mathilda! Do you know how many times I've stared at my dagger, just _thinking_ that, with _one_ movement, I could end it all?!"

"Zander, I know it's painful, but I-"

"NO! YOU DON'T!" he shouted, pushing her away, tears streaming freely from his eyes "You don't have a **fucking** clue what it feels to have the love of your life – no, your soulmate, being ripped away from your arms! I need her, Tillie! She's my… she's…"

"Has your thick skull ever stopped to think that, even if you raised her back from the dead, it probably wouldn't even be her, you stupid fuck!" she yelled back.

"Doesn't mean I won't try, given the chance." He declared. This time, Tillie actually punched him, tears springing down her face.

"DON'T! Don't you dare! You know that, once the soul crosses over, the body is just an empty shell, Zander! You will only make it worse! Promise me you will never use Necromancy." She begged.

"I'm not going to promise anything," he declared, wiping his eyes "and I certainly don't need permission to raise my lover back from the dead."

"You'll be dead long before you finish the spell." She threatened "You want to join her so bad, you will die by my hands if you ever _think_ about using Necromancy."

"Here." He declared, pulling one dagger out of Aida's hilt and shoving it into Tillie's hand "Might as well do it now, because I won't change my mind."

"Okay, this has gone far enough." Sky declared, taking the dagger off the dwarf's hands and giving it back to Aida "Tillie, go cool off. You got the upstairs floor empty, and only fifteen minutes. Take Airdan with you, if it helps. And you Zander… if I hear another word that resembles a death wish in my ear… I will personally throw you inside Queen Calida's dungeons for a well spent week, so that you can think about the stupid shit that comes out of your mouth."

"We love you Zander. Don't forget about that." Tillie told him, taking Airdan's hand and walking upstairs.

"Do you have anything that you'd like to tell us?" Sky asked.

"Can I go outside, please?" he asked, his eyes casted downwards.

"Yes, you may. I want you back in fifteen minutes, or I will get you myself."

"Yes, ma'am." He nodded, and walked out of the house. Everyone looked amongst themselves, worried about the drama turn that the conversation had taken, but silence was only broken when Faelern got up and followed Zander outside.

The moon elf was sitting on the floor, his back against the side wall of the house. His shoulders were shaking, his lips let out heart-wrenching sobs as tears fell down his eyes freely. His knees were pressed against his chest, almost as he was trying to shrink himself to insignificancy. Faelern bit his lip and sat down next to Zander without a sound. The male took a handful of minutes to calm down, and the other elf waited patiently. As the sobs died down and the male cleaned his tears with the back of his hand, Faelern offered him a tissue to clean his nose.

"T-thanks." He replied, blowing his nose and pocketing the piece of fabric.

"Of course."

"Why are you here?"

"I thought you might have need a friend." He replied, leaning against the wall.

"Thanks." He replied "I mean it."

"I know you do. You're a truthful guy, Zander."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… that I know that you will go through with the threat of Necromancy if given the chance." He explained "I just ask you not to."

"Faelern…"

"Just listen to me." The sun elf asked "I once had a fiancée. Laela. She was what I thought to be the perfect woman, caring, lovable. Never in a million years I thought that she could be taken away from me. But she was. She died doing the right thing, Zander. For a long time, I felt what you are feeling. The deep and raw feeling that breaks your bones and tears you apart. Like every day is a torture and at the end of the day there's nothing left of you, only to fall asleep and wake up the next whole, only to start all over again."

"Yes."

"I know what that feels like. I've been there. But I'm better now. And no, it wasn't meeting Roxanne that changed that. No, my healing process began long before that. It was step by step, small things at the time. My family helped a lot. With the grieving, of course, but also with the healing. I just had to let them in." he spoke "I know that you're still in the grieving part. I know that, due to your relationship, it will take a lot more than me. But I also know that you will wake up one day and the pain will still be there, it will just be a lot easier to deal with."

"You think so?" the mage asked, peering over in Faelern's direction.

"I haven't forgotten about Laela, Zander. I still think about her from time to time. Do I miss her? I won't lie, I do. Of course I do. But I have come to terms with her departure from this world. You need to come too. But that can only happen… when you forgive yourself. What happened wasn't your fault."

"Yes. It was."

"Why do you say that?"

"I… promised her that she was safe with me. I promised that I would fight for her, I would protect her! Even in our vows, I told her we would stand together! And I… I broke those promises, Faelern." Zander whimpered, biting his lower lip to keep himself from bursting into tears again.

"Zander… you're fighting for her. You're doing your very best to get her back. In my opinion, that equals you living up to your promises." The sun elf answered, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You think so?"

"I know so. You are one of the most honorable men I've ever met. My opinion hasn't changed."

"Thanks, Faelern."

"You're welcome. Do you want to go back to the house or do you wish to stay here a bit longer?"

"I… I'll meet you at the house." Zander let out a small smile and the other elf nodded, standing up and walking to the house, leaving the door ajar.

Zander sat on the ground with his knees against his chest for a few more minutes, calming himself down and thinking of what he would say to Tillie once he met her again. An apology was a great way to start, but how to go from there was what troubled him. However, knowing Tillie, she would find a way to fill in the blanks, like she always had. That's why they got along so well: what he lacked in communication skills, she had an excess of. Smiling just thinking of her blabber mouth, he knew he was ready to face her. So, standing up, he walked to the house, opening the door and taking a deep breath, before stepping inside.

"Zander." Tillie spoke, standing up from her spot at the table.

"Tillie. I have something to tell you."

"So do I," she smiled "you first, please."

"No, I insist. You first."

"At the same time?"

"Sure."

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Zander asked, frowning.

"It was wrong of me to jump on you like that. You're right, I don't understand what you're going through, but I want to try. But you're frustrating, and sometimes I don't know how to act, although we go way back." She sighed "It's one of the things I admired more about Malia. She knew how to handle you, something that no one here knows how to."

"She usually told me to go fuck myself, think about what I had just said and leave. We would talk after and we worked our shits out." He explained "Thank you for your apology, but I should be the one doing so."

"You have…" she smirked.

"You know what I mean." He rolled his eyes "You were right. I am being a jackass, but… it's gonna take me time to come through. So… bear with me?"

"I have been doing so for a while now, in case you haven't noticed, you dumb fuck." She shook her head "Sorry, Seena. You're forgiven."

"Thank you, Tillie." The mage smiled and pulled the dwarf in for a hug, which she reciprocated immediately.

"Good, now that we're all figured out…" Sky smiled "Are you feeling better, Zander?"

"Yeah, thank you." He nodded, and broke the hug "Malia needs to be alive, so we're gonna keep playing our game as if she is. Now, we know that she's with Blake. Diego, any of your… employees has a clue on his whereabouts?"

"Not yet. But they're searching."

"Okay. Good. We need ideas."

"If I may…" Seena spoke, her voice soft and careful "If the necklace has remains of the magic, that means Miss Tillie can track that magic, right?"

"Yes. What do you mean, Seena?"

"Well, if the necklace is Rogue's personal object, can't we use it to track her down?" she frowned, and picked up the necklace.

Tillie let out a scream and picked Seena up, spinning her around in the air while chanting to the Old Kingdom and back. Hugging her against her chest, she put her down and started muttering about 'fire' and 'light' and bunnies. Airdan took a step forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, stilling her. "What is going on, Tillie?"

"We have a chance at finding Malia with that necklace and I know the spell, oh my!" she exclaimed.

"Tillie, you don't know object magic. You know Elemental Magic. How can you know that tracking spell?" Zander raised an eyebrow.

"Believe it or not, Malia taught me that spell." She smirked "I need the necklace, candles and you, Zander."

"Me?" he frowned.

"Yes, now hurry that ass and sit at the table. Lys, Roxanne, you too." She started rambling while giving orders out to everyone "Sky, four glasses of water. Seena, get a jar and go outside and get me some sand. Faelern, I need ice. Get me a piece of ice, I don't care who you have to rob. Aida, I want a daisy. A big one. Kole, I need you to hunt a rabbit. It will do for dinner, but I need its tail. It needs to be a black rabbit too. Jace, in my bag there's this bag with some crystal… get for me. Airdan? Get me a white stone. And Diego? I don't care who you have to bribe, get me a map of Arunia!"

"But like, now…?" Aida tried.

"YES, NOW YOU LAZY HEAD PIGS!" Tillie screamed, sitting on the table "You wanna find Malia or not?!"

It took less than a second for everybody to leave the house in the search for the items that the dwarf requested. When they returned, minutes later, the room had been changed: the couch had been pushed to one side in order to accommodate the designated people (Tillie, Lys, Roxanne and Zander) on the floor. Diego gave her the large map and the dwarf rolled it out on the ground, sitting them at each side of the map. Tillie sat on the South, Zander on the North, Roxanne on the East and Lys on the East. Sky gave them the glasses of water and each glass was in front of the person.

"Now what?" Zander asked.

"Jace, Aida, Kole, Seena, Faelern, Airdan? Your stuff, please." She asked. She placed the daisy over Valond, the crystal over Ildis, the rabbit's tail over Taran, the ice over Odarga, the stone over Doregon and the piece of sand over Sundrop Island, before dropping the necklace on the map "Thank you. Let's hold hands. You all know what to say."

"From the winds of the North," Zander started.

"To the fires of South," Tillie continued.

"Crossing the wandering waters of the West," Roxanne affirmed.

"And the conquering earth of the East," Lys chanted.

"Show us where Malia is." The all finished in unison.

They looked down to the map. Nothing happened at starters, but then, the map started burning slowly, and Zander had nothing to do with it. It started in the tips, but it spread in, the burnt area circling around five locations. "That's strange. How can she be in five places at the same time?"

"Earth Camp, Sundrop Island, Thorne Forest, Maiden Mountain and Fengar. All in completely opposite directions…" Roxanne noticed.

Tillie let go of the girl's hand, picking up the map. Something went wrong with the spell, it should have only shown one location, not five. It was a large area to cover, she was expecting something smaller. When Malia showed her the spell, everything had gone well. She was able to pinpoint exactly where Airdan was (this happened while Airdan was on his mission and Tillie wanted to know where he was so that she could send him the protection), and the map shown. She let out a gasp when the map began to burn again, and she dropped it, blowing on her burnt fingers. The flame continued to consume the map until there was only one word left.

Abandon.

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 **A/N: Dum dum duuuum! Hehe. Who knows what might happen now? Want to take a guess? Leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter and if y** **ou like it, hit that fav and follow button!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	35. Chapter 35: Kole Lys

**Okay, so college just started and I'm still banging my head from the party on Sunday, so I'm sorry about that...  
**

 **Ayo, what's popping?! This is LoneeWolf up in the house and I'm back for another chapter! So, we have some interesting days in our way, but first... Let's hold it with the drama, cuz we gonna have some history lessons up in here.**

 **I'm in the middle of a French class, so excuse me for being a little rushed... REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009,you have a fantastic point! When talking about Necromancy, we don't exactly know what we are bringing back to life! Scene straight out of a horror movie, I swear! Like Ouija kind of crap or something. And it's quite alright, love... I think you'll find out the answer to that in this chapter...**

 **\- boop, the golden thingy is a secret that we will soon find out about! ;) And 5 locations, huh? Do me a favor, honey... get yourself a map of Arunia and link the locations... hehe**

 **\- Dommie, yes it is. And what about your"... girl"? Tell me about that... I'm curious. And thank you for your compliment! And yes... Northen Arunia, Southern Isle! Check it out!**

 **\- Kali, I love Tillie's character, she's like the best. And you're right, he kind of is xD**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thank you for your compliments! I hope everything is well in your life! Hit me up so we can talk about it!**

 **\- Hullo, hi there! And... you make a good point. But Kole is a smart guy and as I'm not the most well versed person when it comes to cute animals like rabbits, I figured that it must have some kind of difference. That, or Aida probably went with him to get the daisy ooor... Kole found someone hunting and asked him to help him find a black rabbit! You make a good point however, and it is a risky flaw that I took! Thanks for pointing that out to me! Also, pleasure to meet you!**

 **With nothing more to say...** **ON THE FIC!**

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 **Chapter 35** **: Kole + Lys (find me a ship name ^^)  
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"Are you sure I look good in this?" Kole asked from the closet.

"I'm sure, Kole. What's wrong with it?" Lys asked, looking over in his direction.

"I… it feels strange. It's not the same fabric, and it's really soft." He tried to explain.

"Well, then that's good, no?" she smiled "Show yourself to me."

"I'm here." He declared and she came closer to look at him. He wore a cream-colored tee with a short V-neck, black pants and black boots. It was simple, but good-looking, and she loved it.

"You look great, Kole." She smiled, straightening the lines of the shirt "Trust me."

"Tell me what are you wearing." He asked.

"Why don't you feel it?" she suggested, placing his hands on her waist. He smiled, and his long fingers began their discovery path, trailing up slowly.

"Sleeveless shirt…" he let out, his hand grazing the valley between her small breasts, touching her necklace "No cleavage showing. Color?"

"Lilac."

"Shorts…" he continued, taking a knee in front of her, running his hands down her slender legs "I wish I could see it…" he said, placing a kiss on the profile of a fox on the outside of her right thigh, delineated in white.

"You're not missing out much, trust me. It's just a howling tribal version of me when transformed." She replied, smiling down to him.

"You're warm when you're transformed." He reminded her "A lot smaller, but extremely warm."

"It's the blood, love." Lys explained.

"Leather sandals…" he concluded, rising back to a standing position "Color?"

"Purple."

"You're beautiful." He smiled and entwined his fingers in her hair "Your hair is down!"

"Yeah. I thought it would be nice to do that today. Did I make the wrong decision?" she frowned.

"No! I like it. More hair for me to play with…" he smiled brightly "Are we going?"

"Yeah, we are. Still remember where it is?"

"Yeah."

"Guide me, then." She gave him her hand and together they walked out of house.

They walked through the busy streets, crossing the market as a shortcut. The walk was short, but when a bunch of kids ran through them, Lys gasped when she felt one small hand wander inside her pocket and pull out something. Her quiet sound was the alarm ring for Kole, who grabbed the kid's wrist and made him give back what he had stolen. He apologized and placed the item back in the Kaleik's waiting hand: a wooden charm with the drawing of a fox wrapped around itself.

"Thank you." He declared, and gave it back to Lys, who smiled.

"Thanks, Kole… it's like I'll never get used to this."

"It's okay, Lys, I'm here for you." He kissed her forehead and took her hand once more, walking her to their destination.

When they arrived, their companions were already there. Sitting in a hill with a blanket beneath them were Sky and Diego, chatting quietly. He wore a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of grey pants and brown boots and she wore a long pale blue dress with a boat neckline, short sleeves and an empire waist and brown sandals. The brunette had her eyes closed, feeling the sun on her skin, while Diego waited patiently for his friends to arrive. Kole announced them and Sky looked up, standing with her boyfriend's help to greet the newcomers.

"Hi!" she said "You two look great."

"Thanks, Sky. You look beautiful yourself." Lys complimented "Pregnancy is really giving you that glow."

"Thank you…" she laughed "Shall we sit?"

"Of course," Kole nodded and the two couples sat down on the blanket.

"So, how is everything going?" Diego asked "With your leg?"

"Oh, it's getting there. Lys helps a lot with changing the bandages. It was worse than we expected, but it's almost healed."

"That's good." He nodded "And Lys? Tillie told me you were the ground holder of that tracking spell. How are you?"

"Waking up less tired every day." She smiled "Object magic is hard. That is one of the universal truths. But sometimes it's needed, so we have to give a little more of ourselves."

"I've always thought you were human, Lys." Sky wondered.

"And I am. I'm human, but I simply come from a different family." She explained "If you check my blood, I'm still human. I'm not a Kaleik, nor an elf, nor a noble. I'm human. I just have different roots."

"Tell us about your roots. It's not like we know a lot about you." Diego suggested.

"Well, I come from a family of Druids. They sent me off to Kaeldor when I was fourteen and five years after that, Kole found me and I returned to civilization."

"Well, how did you meet?" Sky asked "You already know how Diego and I met, I want to know your story."

"It's a complicated one." She admitted.

"We have time." Diego pushed.

"I was on a break from missions and I wanted to train, so I asked Nina if she could drop me off near the shores of Kaeldor Island. She did, and I set camp near a river. The first week was recon, mostly, but I eventually started enjoying the life there and training. One day, I was returning to camp when I heard a pack of tigers run down the hill. It was something normal to hear in that island, but something was different in that pack. Between the happy yelping of the tigers, I heard a human laugh. So beautiful and carefree. So innocent."

"That was when he heard me for the first time. I was having fun with my family – the tigers – and when I noticed that we were being observed, we ran off. Later that night, I transformed back into a human shape and I… I snuck inside his camp." She giggled "Note that living in that island for so long and with animals made me shed my clothes. So I was naked, when I broke inside his camp. And I saw him, and honestly, he was so handsome that I just stood there. Looking at him. Until I saw him sit up, look in my direction and ask me if he could help me."

"You can imagine the scream she let out when I said that." He chuckled, wrapping his arm around her "It still hurts my ears. So, I… asked her why was she screaming, and she told me to look away and took my blanket, wrapping it around herself. I told her I couldn't see and she called me a liar and stereotyped my race into being major perverts."

"In my defense… I didn't know that many people!" she giggled, joining the loud laughter of the group.

"I can only imagine!" Sky exclaimed, wiping the tears from her eyes "What happened next?"

"She came closer to me and asked me if I really was blind. When I told her yes, she sat down next to me and apologized. I asked her why was she in that island, and she told me her mom and dad sent her there. She told me they did it to protect her. She missed civilization, but she was free there. No one bossed her around, except the Alfa of the pack, and she could do whatever she wanted. We did the same thing for the following days; she would be with her family and I would train, and at night, she would come to my camp and we would talk."

"Until he invited me to come back to civilization with him. The thought was nice… but I had my family there. When he suggested that that night… I couldn't answer, so I transformed back and I left. I spent some days without going to him, without talking to him. I thought no one noticed how I would leave every night but I was wrong. Mama Alfa noticed, and she asked me about it. When I told her… she said to me that I was the daughter from a different kind that she never had. She was the one that introduced me to the pack and protected me. She was… my mother. Which was why I was surprised when she told me to follow my heart and go to civilization with him."

"Really?" Sky let out.

"She knew there was something special about him. So, the day that he was leaving, I showed up at beach. Still in my fox form, but he recognized me. Nina game me clothes and I turned into human again. We started talking and the conversation ended up in my parents. Again."

"What were you parents protecting you from?" Diego frowned.

"That was my question. She never told me, because she didn't remember. What she did recall from the life before Kaeldor was a town. A town in the middle of Taran. When we arrived in Taran and asked about that village, everyone said that it didn't exist, that it was destroyed after the war. We continued to ask around… until…"

"What? What happened?" Sky asked, caressing the baby bump.

"The reason why I went to Kaeldor happened." She declared "Kole was talking to an Eagles' counterpart and I was shopping in the markets for something for us to eat. Until he showed up and grabbed me. The reason why I went to Kaeldor… was because a rich family wanted me to marry their son. Druids marry for love, and I didn't want to marry someone I didn't know, so my parents orchestrated my escape. He, his name was Morgan, he took me and shoved me inside his carriage and took me to my parents."

"When I found out she was missing, I had to go get her. Jackson told me where the village was and I found my way there. Riding a horse, running, asking for rides… it didn't matter. I wasn't going to let her out of my sight. But when I got there…"

"What?!"

"Morgan took me to my village and presented me to my parents. He told them he had found me and accused them of taking me away from him, and demanded that we were to be married at the moment. My mom managed to persuade him to marry the next day, and he said 'okay'. That night, my mom was giving me advice on how to shut out from the world when he was to be with… me. And I refused. I told her I had someone, and that someone would come for me. I spent the entire night calling for Kole."

"I got there when they were about to get married. I heard her calling out for me and telling her mom that she couldn't marry Morgan, that she was with me and I figured out what was going on. And I told Morgan – the guy that wanted to marry her – that he couldn't."

"What the hell did you tell him that made him stop?" the raven-haired man asked.

"He told them… all of them, Morgan and my parents, that Morgan couldn't marry me… because I was already Kole's wife." Lys smiled, and placed her head on Kole's shoulder "Morgan demanded to know under which authority we had married, and Kole said the Queen of Adeshia."

"Because I knew Queen Calida would back me up." The Kaleik added "And I added that I was to be presented to Lys' parents when he kidnapped her."

"It was a mess after that. Morgan was accused of everything and anything by my parents, and I thought I was saved. Until he pulls that card."

"What card?" Sky frowned.

"Druids are like a people. They have their own costumes, laws and beliefs." She explained "Morgan said that, if we really were married, then we wouldn't mind marrying again under the guidance of Druids."

"That was when all fell apart. I was just… there and I could feel Lys trying to shrink herself by my side." He told "So, I did what I had to do."

"You ran off?"

"I married her. Like her law says, like her parents say and to free her from an unwanted marriage." Kole explained.

"What?!" Diego and Sky let out.

"Yap."

"So wait…" Sky observed "So technically… you two are married."

"Technically." Lys smiled "Yes, but nothing interfered with our friendship. We got out of there and we agreed that it would not affect anything. And if it was truly our fate, then we would marry again, under Queen Calida's guidance. Which we will… someday. Right?"

"Of course." He smiled, looking down at her, and stealing a soft kiss from her lips.

"You guys are the cutest." The brunette sighed "Don't you think, Diego?"

"I suppose." He shrugged "Now, who's hungry?"

 **.~.~.**

The two couples were coming back from their date, and they were entering the house, laughing over a funny story that Kole had just told. Sky was being carried by Diego, her feet being tired, and Lys opened the door for them, before settling on the couch with her husband. The raven-haired male settled Sky on the table and looked around frowning when he noticed that everyone was looking at them with a strange expression.

"What?" he asked "Is there something I should know?"

"No… it's just… it's the first I see you laugh that hard." Aida let out, smirking.

"Fuck off, Aida." The male shook his head "I'm gonna take a shower. Don't bother me!"

"We won't!" the noble shouted back "So, how was the date?"

"Great." Sky smiled "We got to find out something about those two lovebirds on the couch that we didn't know."

"Oh, yeah? What is that?" Jace asked.

"Technically… they're married."

"What?!" everybody exclaimed, looking over at Kole and Lys for confirmation.

"It's true, guys." Lys admitted "But just technically. Just in my family's and my people's eyes."

"Well… I wanna know more about that, but for now… we have to celebrate! I'm sure you didn't have a proper feast with your friends." Tillie smiled "Let's give it to you!"

"Party!" Seena exclaimed, running around the house before jumping into Tillie's arms "Party, party, party!"

Their laughter echoed through the house, happiness filling their hearts.

 **.~.~.  
Three years later, in a small dark corner of the world…  
.~.~.**

"Dawn, RUN!" her voice exclaimed, raspy and roughened by the leather collar they kept strapped to her neck, breaking the chains that kept the small feet imprisoned to the wall.

"B-but…" a small voice tried, but the woman's gloved hand caressed her copper locks and smiled down to her the best she could.

"Go. I'll be fine. You know who to find, and you know who to meet. I trust you."

As her gloved hand shot a ball of fire against the guard that was entering the dungeon and crashed another against the stony wall, clearing a path for the small feet to run to, her soft voice and her quiet footsteps were the last she heard before darkness came crashing down on her.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that just happened! And I'm giving out kisses to those who guess who these last two people were!** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	36. Chapter 36:The Fire Still Lives

**I know, I know, I'm late. That's what my moma told me when I was born xD**

 **HEY GUYS HOW IS IT GOING?! (coffee, sorry) I am feeling myself - straight up Beyoncé - and be feeling good since 1998! Honestly, I woke up so tired that my bed was legit telling me that I should not go to class! I am in class however (I feel like I'ma be punished xD) and I'm plublishing this chapter because _someone_ has been yelling at me to post this damned chapter! God damn, my ears are starting to hurt, I swear.**

 **Okay, REVIEW ANSWER TIME (cuz I'm getting hungry)**

 **Dommie: xD yeah, Calida is indeed a bro... and who knows? Why don't you read this one and then cut my head off? xD No worries, Dommie... and i'm sorry about mentioning that... hoe? yes, I said it.**

 **Kali: To be honest, I read about them too and I thought about the gifts... so that means, love... that you have TV rights! Also, who has radio rights this chapter? Let me know! And thank you for the ship names!  
** **And that last scene... is something you need to remember! hehe, not gonna say anything else...** **  
**

 **boop: I don't know, should it...? and I LOVE the ship names! Thank you! And Dawn... she's a very special secret that we're gonna find out about together, okay? ;)**

 **Midnight Sin 009: You get a A+ just for that comment, boy :) and thank you, sweetie**

 **LadyDiamond92: Thank you, honey!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 36** **: The Fire Still Lives  
**

* * *

"Are you sure we're ready?" Sky asked, looking up to her lover.

"We have to, Sky." He replied, kissing her forehead, tightening his hold on her waist "It's the first clue in almost three years. We need to take this chance."

"Okay. Then we need to rest up, to leave early tomorrow." She sighed.

"'We'? No, Sky you're not going with us."

"Excuse me?" she raised her eyebrows at him "I am going, mister, and there's no argue with that. Unless you want to open the lower deck and find me there, playing cards with the sailors."

"Sky, you can't come. I'm not risking your life!" he refused.

"Diego, if this is about the baby, I'm having one of Queen Calida's guards come and pick him up tomorrow morning. She's going to keep him safe while we're gone. Everything is already set and ready, you are not going to turn my plans on me, understand?!" she looked him in the eye.

"You're leaving Caio with Calida?" he asked.

"Yes. And she doesn't mind at all. Caio is almost three, you dumb crap. He can handle two weeks without us. Besides, he loves Calida, and she loves him. He will be fine, okay?"

"Okay… I just… He's my kid, Sky, I'm sure you understand my wariness." He looked over to the sleeping child on the wooden crib.

"I perfectly understand because, if you don't remember… he's my son too." She smiled.

The two looked down at the wooden object beside them, contemplating the sleeping life laying there. A small toddler, of around 90 inches high spread all over the mattress, his tiny fist closed around a fur blanket that Zander had given him. Sighing happily, Sky ran her knuckles very lightly over his chubby cheek, smiling when the child parted his lips and let out a breath. Diego rested his chin over her shoulder and kissed her neck, pulling her to himself.

"He's beautiful." She spoke quietly.

"He's ours." He said "Of course he's beautiful."

"Cocky much?"

"Please… realistic." He scolded, letting out a chuckle.

"We should probably get some rest. And I need to check on Zander. You know he's been all over the place since we got the news." She untangled herself from his arms and walked to the door.

"Okay…I'll stay here with him. I'll meet you back in our room." He nodded, and gazed down once more to their sleeping child.

It had been almost three years since Malia had gone missing. Every lead they had, every clue was gone with the wind, but they just couldn't stop looking for her. Their lives had taken a strange turn when Sky had the baby, and Diego could swear that his left hand hasn't been the same since Sky squeezed it during labor. And then… this little miracle happened and their lives haven't been the same since. A lot happened during that time. Tillie and Airdan got married, Aida and Jace got engaged, Seena developed new powers and Roxanne died. Twice. Before Kyra brought her back to life in those two times. She's fine now, although a little incapacitated. She was attacked by one of Blake's assassins – the target was Seena, but the Lith put herself in harm's way – and she was struck down with an enchanted dagger. The enchantment, now they knew, was poison embedded in the blade and that was what killed her, the both times. The first during an attack, and the second, she had a seizure during the night, which luckily, Faelern was just in time to save her.

A lot of bad had happened. Roxanne losing some neurological functions, like coordination, and she still had some rough nights, but Faelern has been her biggest rock. Jace was put out of combat for a while, thanks to a shattered arm, but he was back on his feet, and Aida was the one that had made sure of such. Zander became emotionless for some time and vanished, but they eventually found out that he was travelling all around Arunia, trying to rather research on matters that he preferred to keep to himself (what got him a punch in a face and a screaming fit with Tillie for half an hour). Zander had also gotten into a fight with Diego himself after a very on-point comment from the leader of the Eagles, what caused him to have a lesion on the shoulder for life (on Diego).

"We're going to leave tomorrow, baby." Diego whispered to his child, placing his index finger on the child's open hand "But I promise that we will return. And, if everything goes well, you'll meet your other godmother, aside Aida. We've told you about her… Malia, remember? Mommy and I will return to you, Caio. Daddy promises. It's just… we really have to go. Jackson, from daddy's job, he got a tip on the bad man after almost three years, and we're been training for this moment. We know that he's a mage, but we don't know the type yet.

"Mommy thinks we should have more on him, but she's not backing out on this opportunity. You heard her, you're going to be living with Aunt Calida for a while… just for the time that we go and get our friend, okay? All the sacrifices… it all comes down to this. We're strong and we will make this happen. One day, when you're old enough, we'll tell you this story, and you will know just how badass your aunts and uncles are. And you'll be proud of us. But as to joining the family business…" he chuckled, messing with the child's hair and pulling away "Mommy and I still have to thoroughly talk about that. Goodnight, son. Dream of the angels and lands undiscovered, for one day, those dreams may come true."

 **.~.~.**

The trip to Doregon was interesting. The letter from Jackson had travelled from one hand to the other, and even Nina got the news of it. To be honest, we need to give Nina the credit she deserves because, the second she heard the location she detoured from her course to cross the Northern Sea, near the Devil's Fork – where the letter said Malia could be. At the moment, Diego, Jace and Aida could be found on the main deck sparring, Tillie, Roxanne and Lys were working on some potions, Sky and Kole and Zander and Airdan were having a close combat, and Faelern and Seena were sharing a book on light magic.

"So, how is it going, girls?" Nina asked, smiling down to Tillie.

"It's going…" Lys noted "It's slow, but soon, we will have some strong potions."

"That's good."

"How long… until we get there?" Roxanne asked.

"One day. Tomorrow morning, we should be arriving land." She explained "It's a tricky sea, over here. I need to be careful. There's a reason why they call it the Devil's Fork, you know?"

"What is that reason?" Tillie frowned.

"The bay surrounding the beach… it's miles and miles of a great barrier of rocks. Spiky, deadly rocks. They call it the Devil's Fork because the map of the rocks looks like a fork." The Lith Captain explained "It's extremely dangerous, but this is for Malia. And if this is the way that I can help, so be it."

"Thank you so much, Nina." The dwarf smiled "This means so much to us… you're the best captain ever."

"I'm the only Captain that dares to cross those waters." Nina giggled "I know that, but thank you."

"You're welcome." Roxanne nodded "Lys, could you help me? I want to go to Faelern."

"Of course, Roxanne!" the human woman took hold on the Lith's hand and walked out of the room they were currently to walk up to the upper deck, where Seena and Faelern were.

"Roxanne! Is everything okay?" Seena looked up to the Lith.

"Yeah, I just…" she smiled, tripping on her feet and falling down into Faelern's waiting arms "I wanted to be with you for a bit… before, you know."

"Of course." He nodded and helped her sit down next to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders immediately after.

"Okay, I'm going back to Tillie. You should get some rest, tomorrow will be a great day." Lys climbed down back to the room and settled next to Tillie, grabbing a couple of daisies and throwing them inside the caldron.

 **.~.~.**

They stood outside a large building. It was an old temple from what seemed to be the Feudal Era, but one could not be certain. Roxanne stood behind Faelern as the elf drew out his bow and arrows, waiting for a signal from Diego's end. The latter looked back at Lys and gave her a curt nod, one that she immediately understood. The rosette began to run up the stairs of the temple before jumping forward and curling herself in a ball, being engulfed in light and breaking the ball, falling on her bottom now in her fox form. A adult white fox with blue eyes and a marking of a sickle under her left eye and the tips of her ears black got up on all fours, shook her head and looked back to Diego, before shaking her head once more in a cute small sneeze and climbing the rest of the stairs to the temple.

"That was the most adorable sneeze I've ever heard." Sky commented.

"It happens every single time. The thermic shock is big when she changes from fox to human." Kole explained.

"Cool. Okay, let's go." The brunette said, trailing after the white fox, while Faelern climbed up to the roof to have a better look of the place, leaving them at the entrance.

They entered the temple, taking extreme caution with any hidden trap that could trigger with their presence, but none came. Seena and Roxanne were the last to enter the building, and fox-Lys went over to them, nuzzling her muzzle against the Ileth's bare legs. Seena patted her on the head and turned to Tillie, who had a hand stretched back for the child to take, which she did. Once all the members of the group entered the temple, the door was shut behind them with a loud thump, startling them. Torches began to light all around the room, revealing the empty and abandoned state of the facility, dust and plants all over the place.

"Took you long time to find me."

Everyone turned in the direction of the voice and gasped. There, in the middle of the room, stood no other than Kali Blake, sided by his two body guards. He stood there, arms crossed, his salmon hair and purple eyes glowing with the light of the fire. The man at his right was tall and had dark skin. His hair was black as night and his eyes followed in the shade of blue. A claw scar ran down his right eye, and his nose and mouth were covered by a piece of black fabric that tied behind the neck. He wore a simple black armor that covered his entire chest, black steel gauntlets, and black boots, with black pants. He was strongly armed, however. From the large hammer behind his back to the dagger with a green blade on his waist and a sword with a lilac blade on his hands, he was well protected.  
The woman at his left had tanned skin and was rather tall. Her hair was dark-brown and her eyes were covered by the two stripes of fabric that made an 'X' shape on her face, her lips pitch black. Her armor covered her chest, over a grey shirt, and her arms covered by black gloves and two fur gauntlets around her forearms. She also wore a pair of black pants and brown boots, a whip on the left side of her thigh and two katanas with purple blades on her back.

"Hello. It's a pleasure – I believe – to see you all. Roxanne, I see that you are doing good. I hope that my friend wasn't too rough on you. After all, all would be well if you had just… stayed out of the way." He smiled coldly, and Airdan took a hold of the Lith's arm to keep her from throwing herself at Blake.

"You will swallow those words." She threatened.

"I'm sure. Right after you make a full recovery." He nodded "Firstly, I would like to introduce my associates. Kacia… and Ezekiel. They too are amazed, as well as I am, that you all survived after three years with a target on your back; made by me, of course. Sky… how's the baby?"

"You keep those filthy hands off my child, you monster!" she yelled, Diego holding her back, although he was having a hard time holding himself back too.

"Oh, how joyful when I see someone pop like that!" he exclaimed, letting out a chuckle "Truly interesting… how something so strong can be set off by pushing a few delicate buttons. Like… a child or a wound that cannot be healed… or a love that I took from your hands."

A guttural growl was heard and the next thing they knew, Zander was crossing the room at lightspeed, his fist on fire and his mind determined on ripping the man's head off his body. But, as soon and fast as he advanced, with the same speed he was pushed away by Kacia, who threw him against the floor and held a sword against his neck. Kali Blake shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, sighing.

"And here I thought I could enjoy a nice and pleasant conversation with you. Apparently, your barbaric minds can only think of fighting. Well, if it is fighting that you want, it is fighting that you will get." He turned his back and made a curt movement with his hand "Enjoy yourselves."

Kacia raised her arm to swing the sword down on Zander, but Sky ran forward and struck her with lightning, kicking her off Zander and pushing her away. Diego called after her and ran in her direction, but Ezekiel placed himself in front of him and pushed the Adeshian away, swinging the sword in his hands, his eyes smirking. Diego pulled his own dagger and smirked at him, before saying "Let's dance, bitch. ATTACK!"

As the group moved forward to jump at the offenders, fox-Lys had taken Seena and Roxanne to a hidden corner, hoping that their invisibility was enough to keep them safe from direct attacks. Further ahead, Diego felt a hand on his shoulder as he realized that Aida, Airdan and Jace had sided him in the fight against Ezekiel, and the blond was the one placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Jace?"

"We got this one. Go after Blake."

"Thanks, little brother." The Adeshian male smiled, and ran over to Zander's and Kole's side, who were currently fighting Blake, taking a small glance at Sky, who was currently siding with Tillie fighting against Kacia.

Punches and kicks were being thrown in all directions, magic sprouts flying everywhere. The sound of thunder echoed in the walls, the smell of ash that floated in the air kept them going, showed them indirect signs that they were all still standing. Bruised and fighting but still standing. Aida got up from the ground once more and threw one dagger at Ezekiel, cutting him in the arm, but instead of blood, a strange black liquid spurted out of the wound. The rogue noble made a disgusted sound as the enemy pulled out the blade and threw it away, grabbing his hammer and starting to swing it around.

Meanwhile, the three males were trying their hardest to take down the mage they were fighting. He was good and fast, but he was outnumbered. Kole, Zander and Diego were an unstoppable team, their rage, technique and power unmatchable. Blake kicked Kole away and pushed Diego against the Kaleik and _there_ , Zander saw an opening. An opening that would allow him to take the man out for good. So, grabbing one of Diego's discarded daggers, he launched himself towards the salmon haired man.

Only to be stopped by someone that pushed a hand against his chest and sent him backwards. That someone…

Was a curvaceous woman with tanned skin, her bronze hair in a messy high ponytail with her bangs falling down the sides of her face. She wore a sleeveless turtleneck black shirt, fitting to her slender form under a small chest plate, a handless glove that went up to the right arm and three golden armlets on the left arm, along with a brown fingerless glove and a familiar leather bracelet. A grey pouch belt wrapped around her hips, black elastic pants, and a dark red skirt with two leg slits that went to the knees, with brown ankle boots. She was also armed with a whip on the right side of her hip and two katanas with blue blades on her back.

She looked up to the moon elf with a cold gaze and the male gasped.

"Malia…" but he couldn't say anything else because she raised her leg and kicked him on the chest, throwing him against the floor.

"Master... what would you have me do with him?" she asked, her voice cold and emotionless, turning her head slightly to the right, in Kali Blake's direction.

"Kill him. I have no use for him. After all..." he approaches her and takes her chin under his fingers "I have you. My dainty flower." And he kissed her forehead.

"No!" the moon elf exclaimed, pushing himself up and throwing a fireball in Blake's direction, but was dispersed by a lash of her whip.

He smirked and walked away, but didn't get very far because Kole and Diego barred his way, and the latter asked "Where do you think you're going? We ain't done with you."

"Malia, please…" Zander sucked in a breath, scared when he saw no recognition in her eyes "Wake up…"

The woman wrapped her whip around her hips and grabbed the hilts of her katanas, pulling them out of their sheaths slowly before turning her head to the side, an empty gaze glowing in her eyes. She twirled the hilts in her hands before looking up to him and sending him an evil smirk. The next thing he knew, she was attacking him.

"Malia! Wake up! Don't you recognize me?! It's Zander…! The man that you were supposed to marry before that… vile thing took you away from me!" he defended her strikes, but never attacked in return "Malia. Please."

But she said nothing in return. She continued to slash and cut him like he was her enemy, never letting up on her attack. The rest of the group realized that Zander was fighting Malia, _the_ Malia that everyone thought to be dead, the Malia that everyone missed dearly was now playing for the other side. And they all tried to wake her up in their own way. But nothing worked, she had no reaction.

"Malia, I beg of you…" he asked, pushing himself up after a strong kick from the woman "Remember me. Please."

"I have no memory of you, how could I… remember something I have never met?" she asked, looking into his eyes, and throwing a pale blue fire ball at him.

"Zander, watch out!" Roxanne suddenly exclaimed, and the male barely had time to dodge the katana that was inches away from his throat.

Listening to the woman, Kacia noted the three that were sitting out of the battle. Shoving her two opponents away, the brunette ran for Roxanne, sword in hand, ready to kill her. Out of the shadows, a white fox-Lys jumped on the woman and sank her teeth in the woman's arm. Howling in pain, Kacia grabbed fox-Lys by the crest and threw her against the nearest wall, the animal letting out a whine with the hit. She made another move to go after Roxanne but a cloud of dust rises in front of her and from there, a tanned fist shot to punch her in the face. Faelern stepped out of the dust cloud and called after Sky and Tillie, the women joined him in the fight against Kacia.

Roxanne shook her head and grabbed her trembling hands; for a second, she saw her life flash before her eyes. Looking back to Seena to ensure her safety, the Lith ran to fox-Lys to pick her up. A trickle of blood stained her snow-white fur, and she picked the fox up, stumbling in her feet to get to Seena's side. "She's going to be fine…" the Ileth smiled "I'll heal her."

A scream was heard and they turned into Zander's direction, watching him bend down in pain, his arm in Malia's hand. The member however, was not in a very natural shape, and the blue-eyed woman pushed him up to his feet and hit him in the chest, throwing him across the room, as he crashed against Aida and Airdan. The two fell on the ground and Jace pushed Ezekiel away for as long as he could, before taking his partners' hands and pulling them up, dragging them away from the man with the face half-covered.

"This is… too much." Diego let out "Pull back! Pull back everyone!"

As everyone made a move for the door, Malia and Kacia appeared in front of it like magic, baring their weapons as if to keep them there. Everyone was getting ready for another fight, although all were a bit taken back because no one wanted to fight and harm Malia. The two women charged forward but suddenly, Seena's voice called out "Boho!" as everyone was involved in a thin pearly bubble. Quick as a mouse, the Ileth turned to Malia and stretched her arms to the side and slapped her palms together as she shouted "Shekhikh!". No one saw what the spell was like, but as Malia placed her hands over her eyes and started whimpering in pain, everyone knew that it had worked.

Turning to Kacia, the little girl frowned before crossing her arms over her chest, palms to her, and turned them out, opening her fists and pushing the cross out. The woman began howling in pain, falling on her knees and clenching to her chest, but no physical wound could be seen. Taking the Ileth's hand, Roxanne ran over the two women and pushed the doors of the building open with her foot, exiting quickly.

* * *

 **A/N: ... I can explain. hehe DOMMIE PLEASE DONT HIT ME and Midnight Sin 009, are you happy now?** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **I'm gonna run now, okay?**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	37. Chapter 37: What Remains of Battle

**Hey there mates! (product of currently watching some old-ass guy speaking in the EU)**

 **How is it all going? I'm out here looking like revenge, feeling like a 10, the best I've ever been! And yeah, I know ya'll probably tired and groaning at my cringiness, but ya know what? I'm me, I'm weird and I like it! So, today has been good so far - never referring to the fact that I almost slept in and almost arrived late for class ( _NEVER_ ) - but everything worked out in the end, cuz this girl has been working out and the legs know how to move!**

 **Okay, so last chapter was an interesting one... Malia is alive! (never doubted, honestly) and we are in it for a hell of a ride because we don't know what's gonna happen next! Or do we... ≖◡ಎ≖ And everyone is busted up and fighting, but let's see what happens in this chapter!**

 **But first... REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, thank you very much! And I thoroughly agree with you!**

 **\- humanoid, welcome back! And is that 'damn' a good thing or a bad thing? :D**

 **\- Kali, your boy Mac is hilarious xD I was in class when I read your review and I laughed so loud xD And why doesn't Mac like Roxanne? I mean, I** **know why _I_ don't really like her, but let's see his response... ****And yes, I will eventually give more info on Malia, so don't worry! And thank you so much!**

 **\- Dommie, *gives beer* there you go! Thank you, and no, it's not weird! It's okay for you to call me that! Thank you!  
**

 **\- boop, yes, Caio is the child's name. As to the description of him, it's in the chapter below! Check it out ;) And Seena... that you can see here, love! Hope you enjoy!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 37: What Remains of Battle** **  
**

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"One dose of painkillers coming right up!" a dark-skinned beauty walked around the iron beds, carrying a plate with medicine. Placing down the tray on the table near the head of an ill man, she smiled and tied her hair on a low ponytail, brushing her side bangs back "Good morning Mr. Conan. How are you feeling today?"

"Quite refreshed, Miss Kyra…" the old man smiled, stretching the white linen sheets that covered his body "And you?"

"Cheerful as a canary, kind sir." She smiled "How are the pains?"

"Bearable. But I'd like to have the painkiller either way, Miss Kyra."

"Oh, and why is that? You're such a strong man, Mr. Conan!"

"My niece… she's coming to visit me, and she's quite the clumsy child. I don't want her to think that she hurt me when she touches the wounds…" he frowned.

"Oh! Elizabeth is bringing Susie to see you?" Kyra clapped her hands "Then we need to get you all dressed up! Comb your hair and put on a nice clean shirt… what do you think?"

"You pamper us with your kindness, Kyra… I'd love that. Could you help me?"

"Oh, that's my duty, Mr. Conan! Of course I will! Now, take these pills and this water and you know what to do. I need to take care of the grumpy moon elf on the other room, but I will come back to you in a second, okay?" she brushed the wrinkles on his forehead and got up from the bed, walking inside a room and closing the curtain behind herself.

"Grumpy moon elf?" a voice asked in the dark.

"What else would you have me say?" she asked back, pushing the curtains of the window open, letting the sunlight enter "It's no other than the truth, Zander. How are you feeling?"

"Broken." He simply replied, leaning back against the head of the bed.

"Both physically and emotionally?" she pushed, grabbing a wet cloth and a jar of red dust, placing on the table it next to the bed.

"You know the answer to that." He looked away and sighed.

"Yeah, I know. How are you dealing with the pain?" she took a handful of dust and some water, created clay with the mixture of the both and started to apply it on the injured arm "You're the first person that comes here, has an injury like this and refuses painkillers. What's wrong with you?"

"The pain reminds I'm alive." He responded "I have a feeling that she could have killed me if she wanted to, but she didn't. Is that a reason to have hope, or just a demonstration of how perverted he made her? Keeping me alive so that I could live my life knowing that she's alive, but I can't have her? That she's… his now."

"I would smack you in the face if you weren't my patient." She applied more pressure than necessary and made him wince "Are you really giving up that easily? After three years of clinging to the tiny hope that she could be alive, now that you know that she is, you're giving up? What's wrong with you?!"

"I'm not giving up… it's just… Ugh, I don't know anymore, Kyra. I don't know what to think anymore." He groaned.

"Well, let me tell you what to think. Two weeks ago, you all barged inside my establishment, looking as like Death has knocked at your door and you escaped through the window. Diego and Kole were carrying you in their arms, you were half-dead. Two weeks ago, you saw that your lover was alive. She still lived, even after three years of what I'm sure it was pure and raw torture. Two weeks ago, I had the Queen herself entering my office and beg me to save you. I tried my hardest, and look at you now. Two weeks ago, she fought you and won. But you left that place alive. Is that not enough proof to keep fighting for her?" she finished, placing the wet cloth on his forehead.

"What if she's right? What if she doesn't remember me?" he asked her.

"Then make new memories. If your love is as strong as you claim that it is… she didn't forget you. They buried your memories deep inside, and it's your job to bring them out." She finished, standing up "I need to help Mr. Conan with getting dressed for his niece. Diego told me he would stop by today with Sky and Caio. You better cheer up. You know that kid hates to see you sad."

 **.~.~.**

"Hey… can I come in?"

"Sky!" Zander exclaimed, watching her peek through the curtain "Sure, come on in."

"Hey…" she smiled brightly, sitting down at the foot of his bed "How are you doing?"

"I've got a broken arm." He shrugged "Can't complain. You?"

"Bruises are fading and cuts are healing. Nothing major, though I think the one in my back may leave a scar." She smiled.

"And the others?"

"Mostly cuts and bruises. You and Lys were the worst cases, honestly… she had a concussion, but she's well now. She's resting. Kyra sent her home and Kole has been taking care of her. She said she feels like a glorified pet." Sky let out a giggle.

"That's good."

"I have someone I want you to see." She smiled "He has been dying to see you. Diego!"

"I'm here." He declared, pushing the curtain to the side and entering "Are you ready, Zander?"

"I guess."

A small toddler came rushing inside the room, his tiny legs moving as fast as he could to reach the bed, where he proceeded to climb Sky's leg and throw himself onto Zander's chest. A male child was snuggled against his chest, tiny hands fisting the white sheet and pulling on it softly. He was tall for the age of two, and his skin was tanned and his hair as messy and black as his father's, but he had his mother's kind and dark blue eyes. He walked barefoot, and sported a light blue tee and a pair of cream shorts, the blanket that he was bringing alongside him forgotten on the floor, but Diego picked it up and dusted it off.

"Unc Zanda!" he exclaimed, hugging the man's neck.

"Hey, Caio!" the moon elf smiled, caressing the child's black locks "How are you?"

"Gweat! What 'bout unc Zanda?" he cocked his head to the side.

"I'm okay. I'm healing."

"Unc Zanda, wook!" he exclaimed, holding his tiny fist in the air "I bwout-MOMMY! Where my banket?!"

"Right here, kid…" Diego chuckled, giving the fur blanket to the child.

"TANK YOU DADDY!" he exclaimed "Unc Zanda, wook!"

"You brought the blanket I gave you! That's so nice, Caio!"

"He has been pestering us to come see Uncle Zander at the hospital. Two weeks was all we could put up with before bringing him here." Sky smiled, caressing her child's hair, who was currently entertained with playing with his blanket and Zander's long fingers.

"Thank you for bringing him…" he replied, looking down at the child.

"UNC ZANDA!"

"Yes, Caio?"

"'m tiwed." He replied, yawning.

"Want to sleep here with me?" he suggested.

"YES!" the child shouted, curling into a ball over Zander's chest and putting the tip of the blanket on his mouth, as he closed his eyes and sucked on it.

"Sleep well, kid." He ghosted a hand over his hair before looking up to the parents "How's everything going?"

"We have no news so far. After that tip, they disappeared off the grid." Diego replied "I have people in every country, but nothing so far. It's strange, how they can appear and disappear like this."

"I see. Anything else you found out?"

"Not… find out exactly, but we were told." Sky exchanged a look with Diego.

"What? What happened?"

"A couple of travelers got lost in the desert a few days ago." Sky explained "They were royal guests, and I don't know how Calida hasn't teared Diego a new one after this blow…"

"What?"

"They said they got lost, and when they were trying to find their way here… they found a body wearing the colors of the royal emblem of Adeshia. They thought it may have been a member of the royal court, and they brought the body with them. According to them, it looked like it had been dead for a while now, for about six months, and if they hadn't found him, they doubted anyone would. When Calida looked at the body, she had me called." Diego told him "Zander… the body was Ryker. They found Ryker's body in the desert, and apparently dead for over six months."

"Ryker?" the moon elf frowned "Wasn't he working with Blake?"

"Yeah. All we need to know now is if Blake killed him or not. Kyra is working on the autopsy in her free time. But for now, the body has close to no physical injuries." Sky shook her head "In other words… she doesn't have the cause of death yet."

"She will. And I want to get out of here. I'm getting tired of being here." He sighed.

"Kyra says you're under house arrest here and I can't break you out otherwise she will use her anatomy knowledge to hurt me." Diego scratched the back of his head "So sorry, man. You're stuck here."

"Can you at least bring me some stuff from the house? It gets boring here."

"Sure, what do you want?" the brunette smiled.

"My pillow. And books."

 **.~.~.**

"We're home!" Sky exclaimed, bringing Caio in her arms and dragging a certain moon elf by the hand.

"Heey!" Aida shouted out, running to the door and stretching her arms to Sky "You're back!"

"Hey, Aida." The brunette smiled, giving the child in her arms to an awaiting noble "How's everything?"

"They're good." She motioned nonchalantly to the rest of the people in the room, busy playing with the child in her arms, whom was currently chanting "Unc AIDA!"

"I'm glad. I brought someone with me." She smiled, pulling Zander inside the house "I thought it'd-"

But the rest of her words were cut off by a mass of ginger hair that threw herself into Zander's arm (the one fully functional). The male immediately hugged her back, knowing who it was by just a glance. She tightened her hold on him for a few moments before pulling away to look at him. He seemed perfectly healthy – leaving out the arm strapped to his chest – and she was glad. He looked down at her and frowned. A strip of a bandage ran across her forehead, her cheek sported a gash and her lower lip was bruised, but nothing else could be seen.

"Tillie."

"Zander…" she smiled up to him.

The male said nothing more and just looked around. Everyone was in the living room, looking at him with smiles on their faces and eyes, but the moon elf didn't see that. He saw the bandage on Aida's left arm and left cheek, the bandage on Airdan's right hand and his back eye, and Jace's black eye and the bandage on his right shoulder. The bandage on Sky's left hand and Faelern's minor cuts, but the limping on Kole's right leg and the bandage over his stomach, and Diego's bandaged arm and bruised cheek.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered.

"What are you talking about, Zander?" Jace frowned.

"All your pain, all your injuries… I'm so sorry." He bit his lower lip and closed his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Aida asked, snacking him upside the head "We got this fighting against the bad guys, Zander."

"Exactly!" he exclaimed "Because of me! If I had left you behind, you wouldn't be like this! I don't even see Lys here, that only means she's still extremely injured! If only…"

Another smack was heard, but this time, it was Tillie's hand the one raised. He looked down to see the scold in her face.

"Are you stupid?" Diego asked.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, we're hurt and yeah, we got these fighting for something that you are after in a fiercer way. But there's something you need to realize, Zander" the leader of the cartel declared "We're not fighting for you. Don't flatter yourself, you're not that important to me. We're fighting for mine and one of Aida's best friends. We're fighting for Seena's mother-figure, we're fighting for Calida's sister. We're fighting for Malia, Zander. This shit became personal to me the second that mother fucker laid a hand on her."

"We're all friends with her here, Zander." Roxanne spoke "Some more than others, of course, but she means something to us all. We're not regretting our injuries, quite the contrary. We earned them fighting for our ideals, fighting for our friends."

"It's true when they say a single person can start a war, Zander." Tillie affirmed "And Kali Blake started a war against himself the second he touched Malia. Hell will come down on him, and we will be the ones bringing it. The world is being moved for her, Zander."

"We're going to get her back. And we will be beaten and brought to the ground many times while doing so." Jace smirked "But trust me when I say that we won't stop until she's back in our arms."

"Thank you…" the moon elf smiled "Where's Seena?"

"In the kitchen. Why?" Roxanne frowned.

"I need to talk to her." He declared. Walking inside the kitchen and seeing the little mouse putting a handful of clean dishes in the cabinet "Seena."

"Zander…"

"We need to talk, young lady." He frowned. She stepped down from the counter and lowered her head, placing her hands behind her back.

"I understands… what is it?"

"Seena, what the hell was that inside the temple?!"

"I just wanted to help, Zander, I thought…"

"You thought wrong, Seena! No matter what kind of trouble we were in, that gives you no right to do that!" Zander exclaimed, and Tillie poked her head through the door.

"What's going on here?" she asked.

"Seena and I are talking. Do you mind?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I do mind, because I was sensing the beginning of a screaming fit in here." She entered the room and placed her hands on her hips.

"I wants to help…" Seena whispered, closing her tiny hands into fists by her sides.

"I'm sorry, what did you say, Seena?" the ginger-haired woman smiled.

"I said… I only wants to help!" she exclaimed, looking up to Zander with fire in her eyes "You are all strong, and you all love Rogue, but I wants to help too! I loves Rogue too, and I wants to help her too! Faelern helped Seena find a good spell book and Seena, to be a good fighter, looked for more and she found that powerful spell that helped!"

"Seena, a dark curse isn't something you should be casting around so easily!" Zander shouted "I can understand the attack you sent against Malia, I fully appreciate the protection spell you casted on everyone, but casting a dark curse on Kacia?! That I cannot accept!"

"Seena is in pain too, you know?!" she shouted, grabbing the glass that was over the counter and threw it at the wall behind him "Miss Sky, Miss Aida, Diego and you, Zander, you are in pain, all of you! But Seena hurts too! Rogue is a mom to Seena, and if there is anything that Seena can do to help, she will! Even if what it takes is casting a dark curse!"

"Seena, I would never say that you are not in pain, but… there are certain limits we do not cross." The moon elf tried to explain.

"And you going down the Necromancy roads is light magic?!" the Ileth snapped "Seena can't cast a simple dark curse, but you are allowed to dwell in the darkest of magic ever created?! How is that even fair?! Seena understands that you're different, you're older, but she has the right to fight for her mother with whatever strengths she has! And you will not tell Seena what she can or can't do!"

"Okay, enough of this." Tillie stepped in the middle of them and kneeled in front of Seena "Honey… I want to thank you for getting us out of there in one piece. I don't think any of us stopped to think that, if it wasn't you… we would've all been killed that night. We didn't appreciate you enough on that, and I'm sorry."

"It's okay… we needed to heal." She tried a smile.

"But Seena, I also understand Zander's side. And I will not support everything he said, because he's guilty of a lot of evil, but I will say this. Dark magic is dangerous, and if you know how to cast it, you know about the dangers. What I want you to know is… Light magic is your line. But, if we ever find ourselves in the middle of something we can't beat, I want you to know that you have my full support to use dark magic. But only in those situations, okay?"

"Okay." The Ileth smiled up to Tillie.

"Good. Now go. I think Caio wants to play with you." She declared and stood up, watching the blonde run out of the kitchen to see the brunette's son.

"What are you doing?"

"Desperate times require desperate measures. And don't go all fatherly." She turned to the male "I saw the handful of dark curses you threw at Kali."

* * *

 **A/N: ... Uh, snap! Zander better be watching his mouth around Tillie! To be honest, I didn't know how to end this chapter without turning it into a mega chapter (and yall know I'm too lazy for that), so I just cut it.** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	38. Chapter 38: Body Drop

**I don't even know where I stand anymore.**

 **What's up guys, this is the forever procrastinator LoneeWolf and I am back for another chapter! So, last time we saw each other we saw all the injuries and shit that the battle against Kali Blake caused. Keeping in mind that our beloved Malia is back and breathing, even though something is off with this. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WOMAN! THAT'S THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BATTLE! But anyway... Nothing special!**

 **Today I bring you some sweetness and sugar-coated beauty of a chapter. Let's see what you feel about this one. But first...**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, thank you for your compliment! And hey, as a person with both sides, I need to give different views on the darkness!**

 **\- Dommie, damn boy, today it seems like you're giving all the fucks! xD and yeah, what can I say? believe it or not, I would to the same thing as Zander. I wouldn't want my child to go down the dark road if I could stop it. And also, you need to have blue eyes to have that kind of cuteness xD (you or the baby moma)**

 **\- Kali, I'm glad you think so! It's fun to write Tillie, she's so versatile and awesome! And ya boy Mac is hilarious omg I was in class when I read your review and I had to bite my finger to stop the laughter! Kyra is only part of the Third Chapter of the game and unfortunately, she's not a very well known character. But I'm bringing her to the spotlight ;)**

 **\- boop, I'm glad you like Caio :D and yeah, you're right! Zander was just trying to protect her :)**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, thank you, love! You're the best!**

 **With nothing more to say and teeth to brush...** **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 38: Body Drop**

* * *

Kyra left the poorly illuminated room and took of the bloody gloves, walking to her office and throwing the gloves inside a metal container. Sighing and looking out of the window, the woman ran her long fingers through her hair. The Eagles would be arriving soon, and she had nothing for them. She turned around as she heard the curtain that served as a door to her office being slid open. As she saw the three males entering the room, she smiled and waved softly. Diego nodded, Zander smiled and Jace waved back.

"Hi, Kyra." The blond greeted.

"Hey Jace. I know why you're here. All of you in fact." The medic crossed her arms "And trust me, I wish I had better news, but… I'm sorry."

"Do you know the cause of death, Kyra?" Diego asked, frowning.

"No. I have a perfectly healthy young male in my morgue and I have no explanations on how did he die! It's been a while since I last performed an autopsy, but I know when to look for arrow wounds, evidences of heart failure, poisoning and brain damage! I opened him up, boys. I studied every fiber that makes the rotting body, and I have nothing that justifies what nothing I found!"

"Okay. The cause of death is unknown, but was there anything out of the ordinary that you noticed in his system? Anything at all. Even the smallest of things, it can help us…"

"Well… only that his veins were more dilated than what you would usually find in a person. Way more enlarged. But that can have millions of reasons, and none can cause death. So… I'm sorry guys, but I have nothing for you." She frowned, almost like she was disappointed with herself.

"It's not your fault, Kyra." Jace smiled "Does Queen Calida know?"

"I've sent her a messenger with the news. I'm sure to hear of her soon with more disappointment show."

"Don't worry, she won't give you a hard time. She knows it's not your fault, you worked your best." Zander nodded "I'm going to the Silk. I want to inform Catalina of this outcome."

"Take Caio with you." Diego said, "She wants to see him."

"Okay." The male nodded and left the clinic.

He detoured from his way to get the child, whom was more than happy to see his 'unc Zanda' and even more thrilled when he learned that he and his beloved uncle were going for a walk. Jumping around the male, Sky sighed and agreed to let her son do the visit, but not before threatening the mage that he was to put the child in bed for his afternoon nap. After picking him up and leaving the house, Zander chose the best course to the Silk. Once he got there, he pushed the door open and was greeted by Gabriel, who was escorting a woman to a room.

"Hey Zander! You-hey, Caio! What are you doing here, cutie?" the male asked, smiling to the child.

"Unc Lina!" he exclaimed, before blubbering out a mess of words that even Zander had troubles deciphering.

"I think he's trying to say that he's here to see Aunt Catalina. Right, Caio?" the mage asked, and the child nodded vigorously "Nailed it."

"Well, Aunt Catalina is in a meeting with an associate, so that may take a while. And I have a client to satisfy, so I need to go. Just look for Vanessa and she'll keep you company." Gabriel waved and left with his client.

"Zander!" a sweet female voice exclaimed "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, hey Vanessa." He turned around to see the brunette smiling up to him "Is Catalina around?"

"Yeah, but she's in a meeting. She might take a while. Want anything to drink?" she asked, motioning him to follow her.

"No thanks, but Caio should drink some water." He smiled down to the child and sat on the cushioned bed of the back room.

"I'll send someone to get it for you…" she smiled and caressed Caio's black locks "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure… what is it?"

"Have you heard about the rumor?" she bit her lip and looked over to him.

"What rumor?"

"There's this rumor around town that you and I are like… together. It's stupid, I know because like, we're not, but… I just wanted to tell you that." She was blushing hard by the end of her sentence, and Zander only chuckled.

"Unc Zanda?"

"Yes, Caio?" the male asked, giving the child his unwavering attention.

"Togeda wike mommy and daddy?" the child cocked his head to the side.

"Yeah, I suppose. Why?"

"But unc Zanda! You is alweady mawied to mommy Mali!" the child frowned and tried to understand what was going on around him.

"You're right, Caio." A new voice rang in their ears and everybody turned to see Catalina standing in the doorway.

"UNC LINA!" the child shouted and broke away from Zander's hold to jump into the Adeshian woman's arms.

"Hello, Caio… How are you?"

"Gweat! How 'bout unc Lina?"

"I'm okay…" she smiled down to the child, picking him up and sitting him on her hip.

"Unc Lina?"

"Yes honey?"

"Unc Zanda is mawied to mommy Mali, wight?"

"That's right!" Catalina giggled and booped the child on the nose "So Nessa over there has no chance with Uncle Zander. So back it up, suga!"

"Catalina…" Vanessa tried, but the red-head stared at her coldly and declared "Walk our associates outside. Now."

"Catalina… what was that?" Zander asked, standing up.

"Nothing!" she returned to her cheerful self "Gabriel told me you wanted to see me. What is it?"

"Hum, Kyra has a conclusion regarding Ryker's death." He declared, sighing.

"And what is it?"

"Inconclusive. She told us that there's a perfectly healthy male lying dead in her morgue. No signs of physical trauma. She even tried poisoning, but nothing. Nothing at all." He declared.

"That's troubled… but we'll find out what killed him. I know we will." She nodded "Now, I need to do some shopping. Care to join me?"

 **.~.~.**

Three months had passed since the discovery of Ryker's dead body and the inconclusiveness of his autopsy. During said time, numerous bodies were found by them or with a message in them to make sure the corpse – or the news of it – got to them. Some were people they recognized like a shopkeeper from Ildis, friends with Tillie, or a member of the Eagles, and even an old colleague from Zander's time in the Academy. But most of them were bodies of people they didn't know but now they carried in their shoulders, as a weight and a promise to avenge them. And there was one thing, and one thing alone that made their deaths important: no one knew how they had died.

A crow entered the opened window and landed on top on the table, scratching the wood with its claws and turning his head in multiple directions. Jace frowned and grabbed the crow, taking the white scroll that it had attached to the leg. He unfolded it and let the bird go, lowering his gaze to read the small message. Gasping when he realized the contents of it, he ran upstairs and started banging on Diego's room, impatiently waiting for the male to open his door. Which he did, a moment after, with a scold on his face. Waving the paper in front of his eyes, Jace smirked when Diego grabbed it and opened it, reading. Inside, with a careful handwriting, read the following words.

 _I have important news that I need to share. But I fear my life is at risk.  
We must meet up, this can decide the fate of the world.  
Full moon at its peak, in the sandy gold mine of loud voices.  
– M_

"Who's M?" Sky asked, peering over Diego's shoulder.

"Marya. When is the next full moon?"

"Today." Jace answered "But what does 'sandy gold mine of loud voices' mean?"

"The markets." Sky answered, "I'll get the guys."

.

.

.

It was night, and the group was out. Diego and Faelern were at the top of a nearby building with their arches ready. Aida and Jace hid in the shadows, alongside Kole, Zander and Airdan. Sky was home with her son, Roxanne and Seena, and Tillie and Lys were hiding behind the empty sheds. The moon was at its peak, its glow giving natural light to the meeting that were to happen soon… if the Adeshian woman would hurry up. The skies stroke midnight as they waited for Marya to show up.

Which she did, eventually. A silhouette made its way inside the markets, hurried pace and nervous movements. She stood in the middle of the markets, looking around as if looking for someone. The group exchanged secret looks amongst themselves, knowing that the silhouette was Marya, but they didn't know who was to get up and greet her. A shadow on top of a building moved to get up, and we knew it was Diego, but another moved as well and stepped in the dim light, calling the attention of the nervous Marya.

"Marya."

"Little dwarf…" she spoke with her strong Spanish accent "Matilde?"

"Mathilda… but everybody calls me Tillie."

"Tillie, then. Thank you for being here." Marya smiled "How is Esmeralda?"

"Your daughter? She is well. She's been spending some time with your brother Enrique. Diego gave him some time off from the Eagles to take care of her." Tillie smiled.

"Thank you, amor."

"Marya. We received your crow with the message that you had vital information for us… You said that it could decide the fate of this world. What do you mean? What do have to tell us?"

Marya opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came. She tried and forced her vocal cords, but it was as something was holding a tight grip on them. She began to gasp for air, trying hard to breathe, and her throat started to tighten, making her cough out. Her hand raised to cover her mouth and, when she pulled away, the pale palm was covered with blood. She looked at Tillie with a horrified look and fell to her knees.

Tillie immediately fell down with her and grabbed her, one hand behind the woman's back and another holding her wrist, asking her what was wrong. And the woman tried to speak, but nothing came out. She kept on coughing, and some blood landed on Tillie's left side of the face. The dwarf moved her hands to specific locations on the woman's torso, trying to find out what was afflicting her, but no results came to her. Physically, there was nothing wrong with Marya.

The Adeshian woman started convulsing in Tillie's arms, and she had to sit down to keep the hold on the woman. As she trashed around, the hood of the cape came down, and Tillie gasped. Marya's face held a horrified expression, fear and pain mixing all together in the knitted eyebrows, wide eyes and parted lips. But what scared the ginger head the most were the blood red lines that lined her face, venous lines from the corner of her eyes and streaming down her face, to her chin and disappeared under the cloak. The dwarf ripped the cape open and her eyes widened, seeing that the lines ran down her entire body.

" ** _Help!_** "

Tillie's screams filled the air, asking for help from the people she knew hid in the shadows. Soon, they were surrounded by the group, but none could do a thing. They tried, Zander focused all his healing power on the trashing woman, but it didn't work. She wasn't suffering from a disease. Kole tried to focus on listening to her heartbeat, but it was steady. Diego called for Jace and Zander to follow him in the search for whoever could be doing this to Marya. The enemy had to be close to perform this act. The rest just stood there, looking down at the daring Adeshian woman, not knowing what to do.

Out of the sudden, Marya stopped. The convulsions stopped, coughing too and her expression turned peaceful. Everybody sighed in relief, wholeheartedly believing that it was over or that the males had caught the culprit and made him stop. Tillie smiled down at Marya, caressing the hair away from her face and watching the venous lines fade into nonexistence. The brunette raised her right hand to caress the dwarf's cheek, a small smile playing on her blood-tainted lips, before her hand lost its strength and fell to the sandy ground and her head turned to her side. The soft flutter of wings was heard only by Kole, but everyone else saw the life fade out of her stormy blue eyes.

 **.~.~.**

The following morning rose with heaviness in the air. The mood wasn't the same, the weight of yet another life added to their shoulders. However, this time… this time it was personal. This time shit got real, and Diego woke up with renewed strength to catch the man they had been chasing for the last three years. The Adeshian said goodbye to the mother of his child with a kiss and made his way to the warehouse that was the Eagle's base of operations to look for more clues. Sky, Airdan and Lys decided to take a different turn, to go to the clinic to visit Kyra and Tillie, the latter one had spent the previous night there.

When they arrived, they spotted the dwarf curled around herself in a bed, knees pressed against her chest and head low, and Airdan immediately went to her, followed by Caio, who wanted to cheer his beloved Aunt. As to Sky and Lys, the two went o Kyra to see the looks of Marya's body, and if she knew what had killed her. The answer, unfortunately, was the same as to all the bodies that had been dropping around them. Inconclusive.

"Tillie, my love…" Airdan sighed "How are you feeling?"

"I… I feel empty…" she raised her head to look into his eyes.

"Love…" the moon elf let out "You're dirty… you didn't wash away the blood and ink from yesterday?"

Tillie looked down to her hands before frowning and asking "Ink? What ink?"

Eyes wide with realization, the dwarf jumped off her bed like a lightening had struck her and she ran to Kyra, begging her to let her see the body of the Adeshian woman. Reluctantly, the medic allowed her, and Tillie only took a moment inside the office to grab the deceased's right palm before grabbing a paper and ink from the medic's desk and drawing it, running out of the office and clinic, her friends trailing behind her, calling out for her. The ink markings drawn on the woman's hand were scarred in Tillie's brain, and she had a small clue of what it could be.

That was the reason why Tillie found herself breaking inside Diego's warehouse and running inside like a madwoman. The Adeshian male was, to say the least, surprised to see her there, let alone when she moved past him and walked to the door at his left, pushing it open and barging in. The door hid part of the Eagles' private library, but Tillie knew that the specific volume she was looking for was there, in the Adeshian library. She pulled book after book, throwing them carelessly behind her, trying to find the one she was looking for.

When she finally did, she took a moment to read the title of the book 'Nature Magic' as a short scream left her lips and she jumped down to the floor and walks back to Diego's office, nudging him aside with her hip and placing the book down on the desk, pulling the piece of paper where she had drawn the blurry drawing that was in Marya's palm and placing it next to the book. Searching in the pages for what she was looking for, she turned immobile when, in one page, a matching picture with Marya's palm was shown. An inverted triangle with a black quadrilateral in the center and a black line under it, crossing the inverted vertex stood in the middle of the page. Tillie read the title of the page and gasped.

"Son of a bitch!"

* * *

 **A/N: Cliffhangers are my LIFE. XD sowy (not really) what has Tillie found?! What does that shape mean?! Anyone that guesses will have a sneak peak at what the next chapter looks like 2 days before it is officially published! (I'm making this a thing now) So review to leave your guesses and try to win this amazing prize!** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	39. Chapter 39: The 3 Children

**New Years fucking resolution, get the fuck on time!**

 **Hey ya'll, what's up, it's ya girl LoneeWolf, back at it again with another chapter! Now, we all know that this joke is as old as time, but I haven't posted anything since last year! (I know, I'm horrible)**

 **I hope you guys had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I know I did. I ate a shit ton of crap, and now the gym has to suffer those consequences. I'm pretty sure I've put on some weight, but nothing that can't be taken care of with some nice run and cardio!**

 **Last chapter was an interesting one... I missed leaving things with a cliffhanger! I need to start doing that more often.. So, Marya is dead, huh...? But her death must have brought something to the light, no? Let's see what that may be... but first of all - REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, that ink came from Marya's hand when she touched Tillie's face! And thank you, darling!**

 **\- LadyDiamond92, it's alright, love. Thank you for your words, and let's see what happens next!**

 **\- boop, I feel bad for her too, darling... and you got it right, it does have something to do with magic, but unfortunately, that is not enough to gain the prize, love! Better luck next time!**

 **\- Dommie, Jensen Ackles? BOOOOY, Jensen is fuKING BAE! And you tell me you have those apple candy green eyes?! HOW THE...! I need to meet you xD if your dad says that about your eyes, what does your mom say?  
** **I really liked Marya too, and her child's name was Esmeralda. Emerald ;) And you know what, Dommie? You WON! IT IS ALCHEMY!**

 **\- Kali, yes, Marya is Latina (I think the Spanish and the sassiness gave it away), and trust me, I liked her too! But just like in GOT, I needed a head to chop off. And just like boop, Kali, your answer is not sufficient! But it is correct, darling!**

 **More specifically... a certain type of Nature Magic. One that you can find about it in this chapter! So, go ahead and...**

 **... ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 39: The 3 Children**

* * *

The Savage Princess docked early in the morning on the shores of Ildis. The passengers stepped down off the boat with their bags and their children with extreme care but only a small group of four stayed to thoroughly thank the captain of the ship for yet another ride across the seas in this quest to find their beloved friend. Once they too left the ship, the group took an interesting turn in their itinerary; instead of walking towards the white stone building with golden flags that stood proud and strong, they walked to a mansion up in the hill. Once they arrived, Zander took upon himself to knock on the door and face whichever person he would be presented with before talking to the one he had come to talk to.

"Zander?" a high-pitched voice called out his name, belonging to a raven haired female moon elf with blue eyes and puffy cherry pink dress.

"Alanis." He simply replied, "Would you be too kind to call our father at the door, please?"

"What? What is your business with daddy? What do you want with him?" she questioned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Alanis, I have behind me the leader of one of the most powerful cartels in all Arunia," Zander motioned to the male standing behind him, who waved two fingers at her "that is famous for the clean and discreet headshots. Unless you want to stain your lovely room with your own blood by the strike of the moon, I would strongly advise you to get our father here. Now would be preferential."

The young woman huffed and turned away from the door before yelling for the elder man, who showed up at the door moments after. Seeing his only son standing there with some members of his group, he stepped outside and closed the door behind himself and nodded, before asking "Zander? What are you doing here?"

"Father, I need your help with something. It has to do with finding… Malia." He gulped after saying her name, as if the act of merely speaking her name had him returned to the depths of hell he was trying so hard to escape from.

"Of course, what is it that you need, son?" he tentatively reached out for the young male's shoulder, whom smiled in appreciation.

"I need your help to get inside the Academy to see the list of students. We have reasons to believe that the man that took her was a student here." He declared, and the elder immediately nodded.

"Very well. Follow me."

The group of now five people make their way across the city to the white stone building with golden flags waving in the towers that they had spotted before. As they grew closer and closer to the building, they saw that the large castle rose from the fallen crystal on the ground. Two towers sided the main entrance with another on the back. That tower, as Zander explained to a curious Lys, was where the trials were performed. Tall and fancy windows drew three lines across the great white stone walls. Every tower had a large golden banner with a symbol in the middle of it but, due to the distance, it could not be made out.

As they arrived at the large rosewood doors, Lys was vibrating with excitement beside Zander. She had confided them during the trip that she had the dream of, one day, applying for the Academy, because of her origins and powers, but both the economic situation and the availability were poor. The two guards siding the door opened them, revealing a large hallway with marble floors, walls and ceilings, all in beige and cream shades. A large wooden door on the left and a lobby on the right with black leather armchairs and small glass tables, and in the middle, two large staircases with a black rail circled to the upstairs floor decorated the room, with a glass chandelier dangling from the ceiling.

As they climbed the stairs – Lys hopped them – they found themselves in a vast corridor with marble surfaces and pillars. Small vases were strategically placed to give more life to the cold room, but the feeling remained. Diego could see Lys opening her mouth to ask a million questions before closing it immediately, not wanting to disturb anyone. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he grinned down softly at her and kept walking. As they arrived another pair of ancient-looking rosewood doors, they were barred by an austere-looking female moon elf, with cold eyes and silver satin vests.

"You are not allowed to enter this room." She declared with a cold voice.

"Yes, they are." Lord Morthil stepped forward and glared at the woman "They are here under my supervision and with my permission, is that clear?"

"Yes, Lord Morthil…" the woman stammered, bowing slightly.

"Good. Give them access to everything they require and desire." The elder declared, motioning to the group.

"B-but my Lord…" she tried, but he only warned "Those words that you were to speak just now… I hope that they were not an attempt to contradict my command. For your sake, give them what they need."

"Yes, my Lord." She bowed once more accompanied the group of now four – Lord Morthil told Zander he would stop by soon to check on their progress – inside the enormous room that was the Academy's library. Shelves that went up to the vault ceiling filled with books, tightly squeezed against each other, small tables where one could sit and study some of all the manuals that the library had to show. It had an upstairs floor, walls decorated with yet more shelves with more books. Zander smiled; he was at home.

"What is it that you desire?" the keeper of the library asked in a rude voice.

"I want to see the lists of students that have studied at the Academy." Zander declared "We can go up to one hundred years ago."

"I want access to the section of books about Nature magic. Object magic too, if it wouldn't be too much of a trouble." Tillie smiled "She's with me and Diego… what do you want to do?"

"I'll stay put and guard. You don't really need me in here, it's not like someone is gonna attack you inside a library. Do you and when you're done, come wake me up." He declared, looking for a comfortable armchair where he could lean back and get some well-deserved sleep, no matter how little it would be. But if he knew the dwarf and the moon elf as well as he was sure that he perceived, the two would take a while until they were satisfied with their information.

"Very well. I'm going to get my colleague. He will take you" she nodded in Zander's direction "to our students' registries. You two ladies… I will come back soon to take you to the section mentioned."

As she walked away from them, Lys took Tillie's and Zander's hands and asked in a very shy voice "I will not have another opportunity like this, to be in the center of knowledge in all Arunia... Do you mind if I...?"

"Of course not, love." The dwarf smiled down to her "Go and discover your origins. Take your knowledge to the limit… and then learn a little more."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" the little Druid hugged them all before running to a surprised – and blushing, I might add – student to ask him where she could find the section about her race.

"I stand returned." The female moon elf declared, sided with an equally stoic-looking male moon elf "My colleague shall accompany you. Miss, if you'd like to follow me."

 **.~.~.**

The day had gone by flying. Lys had disappeared in between the shelves of books, but Diego was sure that she knew her way back because when he called out for her and told her he had bought her some food, the sandwich was gone minutes later, and no sign of the little thief. Tillie had been accompanied by the woman and then asked her to leave the keys to the restricted area in case some of the information was concealed and she needed to 'verify its authenticity' – code for 'I know you will try to hide stuff from me' in Tillie's language. Zander, on the other hand, was making little to zero progress in his search, until he came across a picture. Three pictures as a matter of fact, all in a row.

The first picture was of a young boy with pale skin and cold lilac eyes. His hair was short but spiky, salmon colored, and he wore a ruffled white Victorian shirt, a sickening smile shading his features. The second picture was of a dark skinned young boy with black wind-blown hair, a smirk lighting up his dark blue eyes. The last picture was of a young girl with tanned skin and short curly hair. Her full white eyes were wide, and her parted lips were partially shaded by the fingerless-gloved hands.

"Have you found anything yet?" a voice snapped him out of his stupor.

"Father!" Zander exclaimed, turning to the male "Yeah, I think so."

"Where are the others?" he frowned.

"Tillie is doing some research on Nature Magic, his magic, and Object magic too, for some reason. Diego is probably sleeping, taking care of Caio while his mom is away is busting his ass, and Lys… she's probably wandering around, reading more and learning more about herself."

"She's not human? She doesn't know what she is?"

"She is human, and she does know about herself. She's a Druid. And Druids don't really have access to the… real world. She volunteered to come with us so that she could read more about herself and her specie."

"Druid, huh?" Lord Morthil let out "Interesting. So, what have you found?"

"These three. I will swear that it's them…" Zander's long fingers caressed the faded faces "They are the ones that took my wife."

"But… that's Larkin."

"What?"

"That's Larkin." Lord Morthil sat down in the chair next to his son and pointed at the pink-haired child "And those two are Ezekiel and Kacia. The three of them were always together, until that fateful day."

"Father. Tell me everything. How do you know them?" Zander begged, grabbing his father's shoulder.

"Well… They were studying here around the same time your aunt Eleanor was teaching. They met – the three, I mean – and they became inseparable. Or so told your aunt. They were here during the Great Massacre, come to think about it."

"The Great Massacre? That happened almost one hundred years ago? Wasn't it about that serial killer that took the lives of young mages?" Zander frowned "They never caught him, did they?"

"No, they never did. And Ezekiel… he was one of the victims."

"But he's alive, father. I've fought him. How is that possible?"

"I'm not sure. But I do know this… Larkin had Nature Magic. Like your own. He could manipulate our flows and streams. He usually used his magic to help people, like healing magic. When Ezekiel died… both him and Kacia took a turn to the dark road."

"Wait, so Kali Blake – Larkin is a blood mage?"

"Yes. He and Kacia abandoned the Academy little time after Ezekiel's death. And nothing was heard from them ever since. Kacia, I had little to no doubt that she could be alive because of her Kaleik ascendency, but Larkin was human. No human can live that long."

"Unless he can heal himself to health and aging…" Zander frowned "Thank you, Father. I will inform you on any update I have."

"Alexander…?"

"Yes Father?" the mage turned to him with a happy glow in his eyes – something that his father had missed seeing for a long time.

"When you get your wife back…" Lord Morthil tried, placing a hand on his shoulder "I would like to invite both of you for dinner at our house… I think it's fair to get to know the newest addition to the family."

"Father…" Zander let out a gasp "I'd love to… thank you."

"Of course. I'm going to get the gatekeeper to give you the school files on Larkin, Kacia and Ezekiel, okay?" He patted his shoulder and got up, walking away from his son.

 **.~.~.**

"I'm back." Tillie sat down next to a tired-looking Zander "How are you doing?"

"I'm exhausted. I swear, I've never wanted my bed more in my life before." The moon elf replied "Lys already came back, by the way. She's sleeping next to Diego."

The dwarf looked back to see the two figures sleeping in the armchair that Diego had not moved from. Smiling, she replied "And how is she doing?"

"Excited. She came back half an hour ago and told me some of the things she had learnt before collapsing next to Diego." He told "What about you? Found anything interesting?"

"I found a lot of interesting." She declared, showing him her scribbled notes "I found its origins, how it grows stronger, its best usages and most importantly… how to cancel it."

"You found a protection spell against Nature magic?" Zander raised an eyebrow.

"Well… protection is the key word. You can't really null it because… well, it's Nature magic, but there is a way to shield a body from the magic. But that way may not be the… cleanest." She tried.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well… damn it. Nature Magic is one of the most powerful magics there is out there, and you know that, right? Because it evokes the spirit of nature, something ancient, and there aren't really any barriers against something that you aren't meant to be protected from. Nature is… nature, and you can't really go around in that." The dwarf explained, talking in a fast rhythm "However… there is a way to go around the laws of nature, and that way is somewhat… dark."

"Tillie, have you been dwelling in dark magic again?" The moon elf crossed his arms.

"No! Not exactly. I've been dwelling in object magic. _And before you get your panties on a twist!_ , know that your lover was a heck of an Object mage. Everything I know about Object Magic, she taught me. So, I may be thinking about using a protection charm she taught me how to make." She scratched the beck of her head.

"What is the deal with this… protection?"

"The protection, in order to be effective, needs to go against the laws of Nature." Tillie explained, showing him her notes "An act against the balance of it, a truly human act. The person who performs the spell… that's a good part of it too. Not everyone can do this spell. And lastly… the magic that you are protecting yourself from."

"So, in Blake's case… you need blood."

"Not just any blood. A special kind of blood."

"How special?"

"Hella special." She declared "You need pure blood."

"Tche, good luck with that. The last time I saw a pure blood was when I was 60. It's not going to be easy to find a pure blood."

"I know. But I might have a way around that."

"How so?" Zander asked.

"Again, thanks to Malia. She knows a pure blood." Tillie explained "His name is Aryan. He lives here in Ildis. I asked Amia to find him for me… and I exchanged letters with him. He says he doesn't mind giving some of his blood to make this protection. He said it's his way of replaying his debt towards Malia."

"You got this all figured out, don't you?"

"I do." The small dwarf smirked.

"I suppose you also know who will have to create the spell?"

"Yes. And that… you might not like it."

"I'm waiting."

"We need a pure heart doing what Nature can't do."

"Which is…? C'mon Tillie, I'm tired. Give me a break."

"Murder."

"There is no way that we can find a pure-hearted person willing to kill to protect us." Zander replied.

"Actually… we can. And… once more, Malia. She found someone willing."

"Who?"

"You know her. Her name is Seena."

 **.~.~.**

"Ssh, you need to stay quiet or my mom will find you!" Meimei, a young Lith with brown eyes and dark hair spoke to the closed closet of her room.

"I'm sowy…" a soft voice spoke from inside the closet, before no noise was heard again.

"Thank the Old Kings… we're almost there. I'll smuggle you out of the ship soon, I promise. And then, I'll take you to the person you want to see." Meimei smiled.

"Oh? And who may that be?" a matured voice called from the door and the little Lith gasped when she saw no other than her mother.

"Mom! I… I was talking to myself, I swear!" the little cat tried to explain "There's no one inside this room except you and me! Why don't we go out and have some fun? Tell me that story about that time you and dad got drunk in Ildis!"

"You never liked that story, you keep saying it embarrasses you. Now open that closet before I ground you for life." The mother threatened.

"… Yes mom. I'm sorry, Dee." Meimei spoke before opening the door of the closet. Inside was a small cloaked figure wrapped around itself, with an empty plate of food next to her. Nina kneeled in front of the little girl and took her small dainty hand. She watched as the little girl's vibrant eyes looked up to her, and she smiled.

"Hey, honey… My name is Nina. Can you tell me your name?" the Captain spoke, and the little girl shook her head "Can I call you Dee, like my daughter does?"

The little girl nodded, and Nina asked once more "Honey… who do you want to meet? I can take you to that person, only if you tell me."

The little silhouette got up and whispered a few words at Nina's ear, who gasped and pulled away "What is he to you?"

"D-daddy." She whispered, her small voice smiling.

"I'm gonna take you to him, honey. I promise."

* * *

 **A/N: Hum, I wonder who Dee might be? xD And what can possibly come out from Tilie's and Zander's agreement? That's gotta be juicy! If anyone can guess who Dee is will receive a sneakpeak on next chapter! (dommie, give me your email so that I can send you the sneak peak - it will not appear on your review, do not worry). Again, try and try until you succeed, and you may win this awesome** **prize!** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	40. Chapter 40: D

**Hey guys, how's it going?**

 **Trust me, if it wasn't my boy, I wouldn't have remembered to post this today. But anyway, it's ya girl LoneeWolf, back at it again with another chapter! Now, last chapter was an interesting one... Kali Blake's identity was finally discovered, and his real name is Larkin! Seems interesting enough, but more to come as we find out that Ezekiel and Kacia and him all went to Ildis Academy! Isn't that interesting?** **Yeah, I know, maybe just a little hyped, but works the charm! And we got to find out what kind of magic Larkin uses.**

 **For this chapter, we're keeping things a bit more real. I'm going to introduce you not one, but TWO characters that are to change the course of this adventure! Are you ready for it? But before we can get to it... REVIEW ANSWER TIME**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, thank you, and trust me, he will!**

 **\- boop, yes, I do love... you'll understand why soon. And a pure blood is a person that doesn't have mixtures in their blood. For example, a pureblood human, will only have human blood in him. Never dwarf blood, or Lith blood... understand? And your bet is taken and registred!**

 **\- Dommie, that is awesome. Really! And who knows, maybe Lord Morthil just wants to be an actual father to him... you are right about all people in Ildis being bitches tho. I hope you liked that sneakpeak I sent you, and who knows? Maybe you can give another shot at finding out who Dee is in this chapter!**

 **\- Kali, background story indeed, love! And sorry for the delay, I really am... To Mac: xD you're hilarious. And that is an excelent question! One that you are sure to find out soon ;)**

 **With** **all that being said and hopes and loves to all the feels in this chapter...**

 **... ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 40: D**

* * *

"Hey, Nina."

The Lith looked over in the direction that she heard her name being called and gasped; in front of her were Diego, Lys, Tillie and Zander, carrying proud smiles and a glow in the eye that Nina had long forgotten it existed. She ran to Tillie and pulled her into a hug, screaming to the Old Kings how good it was to see them all. Everyone got their share of the hug, and words of acknowledge and happiness, and after a few pats on her back, Diego pulled away and asked her for passage to Adeshia.

"Of course! Fee entrance is to be paid though." She raised an eyebrow at Diego.

"Come on, Nina! Caio is taking all my funds away. Can't you put it on my tab?" he groaned.

"Okay, but only this time, mister." She winked, and they could see she was not actually mad.

"You're all heart, woman. Get us to Adeshia, I wanna see my baby mama." He smirked at her and walked to the upper deck, sitting down on the floor.

"Nina, would you be so kind to show us our cabins?" Zander smiled at her, and the Captain led them inside the ship, showing them the doors of their cabins.

The night fell quickly, and Zander only realized he had spent the entire day in the cabin when, at night, Lys came to knock on his door to tell him she had saved him a plate of food. Thanking her, he went back to Tillie's notes on Blood Magic and how to shield a body from the magic, taking small bites from the curry Nina – yap, Nina, by the spicy flavor – had cooked. When he was done with the food, he heard a knock on the door and, believing that it was Lys wanting to check up on him again, the moon-elf walked to the door and opened it without peeking.

Standing in front of him with a soft smile was a young man with tanned skin and freckled cheeks. His layered dark brown hair, his shiny grey eyes, his high cheekbones and soft smile spoke volumes of him, kindness, peacefulness and honesty. Sporting a sleeveless purple shirt, showing a tattoo of a lotus on his left shoulder, grey pants and brown boots, he stood there quietly, waiting for Zander to say anything. When the latter didn't, but hid a hand behind his back and sparked a small fire, the unknown male decided to speak.

"Hello. Are you Zander, by any chance?"

"Who's asking?"

"Son of Lord Morthil and Lady Ygrainne?" he ignored him.

"Again, who's asking?"

"Engaged to Lady Malia of Valond?"

"Yes." Zander gulped "Who are you?"

"My name is Aryan. I'm the guy you've been looking for." He smiled "Can I come in?"

"Of course." Zander extinguished the fire and opened the door wider, letting the young man in "What are you doing here, Aryan?"

"Miss Tillie mentioned in her letters that you needed my blood to bring Lady Malia back." He sat down in Zander's bed "She told me you were heading back to Adeshia in a ship called 'Savage Princess', so I paid my passage and decided to follow you. I encountered Miss Tillie in the main deck moments ago, and she told me to come to you."

"Why did Tillie told you to come to me?" the moon elf sat next to the male.

"She told me you were the best person to answer my questions, sir." He bowed slightly.

"Why the 'sir', Aryan?"

"Sir, my family taught me to treat older people with respect." He explained "Does that bother you? How should I treat you?"

"How old are you, Aryan?"

"I'm 16, sir…" he blushed.

"Please, call me Zander." The male frowned "You're so young. Are you sure you want to do this? We're walking down the darkest of roads, Aryan… you can always turn back."

"I'm sorry, sir… I mean, Zander. But this is about Lady Malia… and for her, I'll do everything." He declared.

"Why?" Zander gulped "What does she mean to you?"

"She… she saved me, Zander. I was lost, and she found me and healed me. She took me under her wing and protected me… she grounded me and punished me, and for every single one of them I deserved, but… she made me a better person. I want to leave Mother proud. And if this is the way I can help her, so be it."

"'Mother'?"

"That's what I call Lady Malia…" he scratched the back of his head, messing his chocolate locks.

"I see… Aryan, why did you want to see me?" Zander asked.

"I… I want to talk about her… can you tell me about her? I feel like I know so little about her, and she so much about me." He bit his lip.

"Kid…" the moon-elf sighed and declared "Sure. What do you want to know?"

"What was she like? Did she laugh a lot? Did she punish you too when you did wrong?"

"No, she usually left me to dry when she was mad at me…" the male chuckled at the memory "She was… she was perfect, Aryan. Beautiful and kind, strong and stubborn. She is the most wonderful person I have ever met. Her laugh… she laughed a lot, yes. And her laugh… like birds of all kinds decided to join to sing a heart throbbing melody at the Spring Festival. It was breathtaking. _She_ was breathtaking."

"Yes?"

"Yes. She… she was something I never thought I was allowed to have. A fragile heart surrounded by barriers, and yet, she gave me the key for every single one of them. She was perfect, Aryan. I love her like I've never loved anybody else. Like I've never loved myself. And that's why it's so hard not to have her. Have you ever had someone or something you know you can't even breathe without?"

"Yes."

"That's me with her… and she has been gone for the last three years. Imagine how hard it is to breathe for me. She was funny, kind, powerful… it was an honor to call her mine…" Zander sniffed, and wiped the tears that were starting to fall from his eyes.

"How did you meet her?" Aryan whispered, placing a hand on the moon-elf's shoulder.

"It's a funny story, actually." Zander chuckled "We were asked to capture a troublemaker. They knew a codename, nothing else. 'Thaga'. They said he was stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Personally, I wanted to side with this 'Thaga', but we were there to do our job. So, we managed to capture this 'mysterious thief' and it was her. She didn't tell us her name right away. We had some time before figuring out who she really was. But when we did… I helped her getting over issues with her magic and we got together and… the rest is history."

"That's beautiful, Zander. But… why do you keep saying 'she was' this, 'she had' that…? Lady Malia still lives, no?" The youngster bit his lip.

"Yes… she's alive. But I don't think she is the same Malia I fell in love with. She changed. She went Rogue."

"Mother used to say that a path is never one-way. You can always turn back the way you came from." Aryan smiled.

"Let's hope so, buddy. Let's hope so."

 **.~.~.**

"It's a very intricate subject to talk about. Difficult even, but once you understand the core of it, you're all set!"

"Okay then, Tillie." Aida replied, leaning against the couch "I'll take the bait. Tell me about Blood Magic."

"I thought you would never ask!" The little dwarf clapped her hands in excitement "You'll see you'll understand it as fast as possible!

"So, Nature Magic, or Elemental Magic, was one of the first ever created, right? It's one of the Ancient Magics; older than these, only Time Magic and Light and Shadow Magic. Those three created the world, and are the 'mother magics' because they opened ways for all the other magics to be created! Think of it like a genealogical tree, you..."

"Tillie, you're digressing."

"Oh, sorry. As I was saying... blood magic is Elemental Magic. It was created from the flows of rivers and heartbeats of beasts. Like Elemental Magic, you can't cancel it, you can't create an environment where it doesn't flow, where it doesn't exist. But we can create a protection spell, a barrier that won't let it affect you. And that's what I'm gonna do; I'm gonna – with a lot of help from Lys – create a protection spell against Larkin."

"Hold it. How does Blood Magic work, anyways?"

"Have you ever seen Zander manipulate a flame in the way he wants? You ever seen him play with a spark?"

"Yeah. It's the easiest way to shut Caio up when he's moody. Let him watch Zander play around with fire."

"Well, a Blood mage can control – as the title says – blood. The blood in our veins? He can control it. He can do anything he wants, he can even kill you by merely using the flow of your blood against you!

"Was that what he did with Marya and Ryker and all the other people?"

"Yes, it was..."

"Son of a bitch!" Aida shouted, "We need to stop him!"

"That's why we need to get started on the spell. Aryan is exploring town with Airdan right now, but when they return, Kyra is going to help me get some blood from him…"

"Yeah, remind me who that guy is again...?"

"A pureblood, and a friend of Malia's, nonetheless."

"That chic had it all figured out, didn't she?" Aida noted "One could even think that she knew something was gonna happen to her and she made sure we would have all the means to get her back."

"It may be so, Aida. The thing about being a mage of Ancient Magic is that you can get 'traits' from 'descendants'. Clairvoyance is – let's call it son – a son of Light Magic. Malia is Tamra and Fire; she can easily have _some_ Clairvoyance powers. But it's highly unlikely. If she had said powers, we would have known."

"Even if she herself didn't know about them?"

"Even so. It's rather easy to spot a Clairvoyant, Aida."

"How do you do it?"

"You look for the…"

But her explanation was cut short by a knock on the door. Airdan had a key and with Aryan's curious mind, Tillie doubted that they were returning this soon. Getting up with caution, the dwarf opened the door… to find no one. Until she heard someone clear their throat from below her line of vision. Looking down, she saw a silhouette of a child covered with a black cape. She saw specks of hair, but it was so dirty and messy the color was hard to tell. She walked barefoot, her calves scratched and bruised, her tiny hands holding on to the cape for dear life. Tillie took a knee in front of the child and smiled.

"Can I help you, sweetie?"

"H-help…" she whispered.

"Are you hurt? Did anyone chase you here or harm you?" Aida asked, getting up from the couch.

"N-no, I don't tink so…" she spoke, gulping "I'm scawed he find me…"

"Come inside, honey!" Tillie ushered her, and the child complied "How did you get here?"

"The P-Pwincess bwought me… she cwossed the blue with me…" the child tried to explain.

"The Savage Princes? You crossed the sea. Were you in Ildis?"

"N-no… pweetty mountain. Voices sing evewy moon." She said.

"Okay, honey." Tillie smiled "I'm gonna fix you a bath and Aida is going to prepare you something to eat. Okay?"

"Okay…" she mumbled and followed the dwarf to the bathroom. Moments later, the latter came back to fetch the little girl some clothes – for now, Caio's clothes would have to do – and wash (probably burn) the child's own clothing.

"Tillie?" Aida called "What are we doing?"

"I'm not sure, but we can't let her walk around on her own. She's really young, Aida, probably Caio's age. How she got so far, I'm not sure, but I want to take care of this child."

"Think she'll like milk and Sky's cookies? Because Jace was supposed to go buy food at the markets but he's still asleep."

"I think she'll love it. Thank you."

"Don't. I don't want her out on the streets either."

 **.**

Close to half an hour later, Tillie left the bathroom with a beaming child next to her. She was petite, skinny and absolutely adorable. Chubby cheeks, button nose, pouty lips and small face, the child shook her now clean and half-dried bronze hair, sparking eyes with a vibrant shade of blue granted familiarization, but a non-recognizable one. She wore a white tee and blue shorts, with a pair of black shoes on. Aida smiled to the child and showed her the tray of cookies and the class of milk; and she ran faster than a Kaeldor tiger to the food, grabbing a handful of cookies and shoving them in her face, before blushing and grabbing one at the time.

"Well, it appears that we have a new fan of Sky's cookies!" Tillie exclaimed "This is Aida, and you already know my name. Think you can tell me yours now?"

The child didn't look up, but nodded, pointing her finger to the sun "Wise."

"Wise? The sun?" the dwarf frowned "What do you mean?"

"She has the same issue as Caio with the 'r'…" Aida observed "You mean 'rise'?"

The child nodded vigorously, and Tillie tried "Rise? Sunrise? Like Dawn?"

"Yes. Daun" she tried to say her own name with a cheeky smile.

"So cuute!" Aida giggled.

 **.~.~.**

Zander and Diego walked inside while recovering from the effects of an inside joke that the two had shared on the way home. Opening the door, Tillie smiled at the view of the grinning males before letting them inside and joining back Aida and Jace on the couch. Hearing a child's laugh and frowning when he remembered that Caio was still with Calida, Diego mentioned so to the moon elf. Walking towards them, Zander called Jace.

"I thought Caio was still with Calida…" he said, "is he back so soon?"

"Oh no," Aida smirked "Tillie and I found a child and decided to keep her until we found out where did she come from. She arrived here in the Savage Princess, but she got in before Ildis, so we don't really know where she came from."

"Ask her…?" Diego raised an eyebrow.

"We would but… her vocabulary is not that extensive. I mean…" Jace leaned back to reveal Dawn to the two males "She's only three."

"Oh…" the leader of the Eagles let out, watching the vibrant eyes of the child sent on the two unknown – to her – males "Are those Caio's clothes?"

"Yeah" Tillie smiled "I haven't had any time to go to the markets and buy her some clothing of her own. But since you're here, you can help out! You could go, pick your child and baby mama on the way, buy her some clothes and go grocery shopping."

"Hey, Jace was the one who was supposed to do that!"

"But Dawn got hooked the second she laid her eyes on him. She hasn't let go of him since he woke up…" Aida laughed when the blond male diverted his attention away from the child for a few seconds, and she started whining.

"Dawn…?" Zander let out.

"That's her name, yes." Jace smiled.

"Oh. Okay." The moon elf gulped and looked over to Diego "Are you going?"

"I have no choice." He sighed "Tillie, do me a favor and change Caio's bed and mine too, by the way. Also, I think we still have some herbs lying around; Sky has been having these headaches… can you fix her something?"

"Sure will! Now go… we got this." The dwarf watched the male leave the house and got up, asking Aida and Jace to go take care of the beds while she fixed a quick potion. Dawn pouted but let them go, kicking her tiny feet in the air while she waited for them to return.

Zander sighed and removed his shoes, walking to the couch and sat down, leaning back on it and closing his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he smelled the scent of flowers and honey – Tillie's shampoo – and frowned. Feeling the couch shift, he cracked one eye open to find the child sitting slightly closer to him. Ignoring and closing them again, he smirked when, just a few seconds later, the couch shifted again, and she tugged at his shirt lightly. Opening an eye, he saw her sitting even closer, legs almost touching, and she had her arms in her lap and her legs crossed Indian style, with a blush on her face.

"Dawn." The child looked up to him with wide eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Noting." She blushed and looked away. He sighed and asked, "Do you need anything?"

"Nho." And she smiled a sneaky smile, and for a moment, Zander thought of Malia.

"Okay."

Tillie entered the room a handful of minutes after, with a vial filled with a blue liquid in her hand, smiling happily. Looking around, she gasped and almost dropped the jar with what she saw. Zander was now sitting on the floor, legs crossed and had a huge smile on his face, chuckling while throwing small sparks in the direction of a rapidly moving child. As to Dawn, she ran across the room back and forth, hiding behind furniture and jumping over chairs, giggling while trying to escape the small sparks that Zander kept sending to chase her. Smiling at the cute vision in front of her, she almost fainted of happiness when Dawn turned in the direction of the older male jumping to his lap and looking up to him, only to giggle once more when the male caressed her coppery locks.

"Are you two having fun?" the dwarf asked.

"Tillie!" Dawn called "Yea!"

"Hey Tillie. Need help with anything?" Zander asked.

"Actually, yes. I need to talk to you about… the protection."

"Oh. Okay." The male put Dawn down and got up, but didn't get far because the little one latched herself onto his leg.

"NHO!" she whined.

"Fine." He picked her up, wrapping her legs around his ribs and walked after Tillie "What is it?"

"Are you sure you should bring her?"

"She's not gonna understand anything." He smiled "Now… what is it?"

* * *

 **A/N: This was an interesting one. And the question still stands for this one! Who is Dee? Background story (as Kali calls it) will come around.** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	41. Chapter 41: Background Story

**HEY GUYS!**

 **How is it going? I hope everything is well, I know it is with me, and I hope you've been having a great day! I'm legit flipping out because my little bro-bro (not really my brother, but he's around so many times that it makes him be) just sent me handful of unicorn cakes and my birthday is just around the corner and that boy knows how I like it. I swear I almost screamed (maybe because I asked my mom a unicorn cake -DON'T JUDGE, THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL AND INSPIRING).**

 **So, yeah maybe I'm hyped. xD Also, I'm starting to be a sucker for River, by Eminem, and I swear that song speaks SOULS. And Finesse, by Bruno Mars and Cardi B. I love the guy, and the song is HYPED. But moving on, I'm back for another chapter and ya girl is gonna shed some light in darken pasts. ( _I should be a poet xD slay_ ) But before that... REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, good question! But, as it is obvious that Malia is alive, he won't do that anymore!**

 **\- boop, thank you for your words... and like a father, hum? Interesting that you think that... ;) *strokes non-existant beard***

 **\- Dommie, maybe I am trying to tell you something ;) I'm glad you liked it :D**

 **\- Kali, you wanted background story? There you go! To Mac: am I gonna drop bombs? Yes. Yes I am. And thank you :D**

 **In request to Kali, the ages of the characters in this story currently stand at:**

 **Aida: 27**

 **Jace: 31**

 **Zander: 290 in elf years, 31 in human years xD (the old man)**

 **Malia: 27**

 **Tillie: 31**

 **Airdan: 33 elf years (he's really young)**

 **Diego: 33**

 **Sky: 28**

 **Roxanne: 29, the hoe**

 **Faelern: 373 in elf years (hence the grampa nickname by Aida) 37 in human years**

 **Kole: 28**

 **Lys: 19 (yeah, she's a baby)**

 **Seena: 14**

 **With** **all that being said...**

 **... ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 41: Family Breakdown**

* * *

"A couple of Mayfly wings and let it sit for – CAIO, _hands off the cookie jar!_ – a couple of hours. Get it?" Tillie smiled at the child sitting next to her.

"Pwetty bubbles!" Dawn giggled, kicking her legs "Caio, wook! Pwetty bubbles!"

"Pwetty!" the young child squealed, climbing to the chair where Dawn was sitting and plopped down next to her "Unc' Tillie, I'm hungwy!"

"I know baby, but it's not lunchtime yet! And Kole and Lys are yet to arrive, so we must wait for them. What about you, Dawn?"

"A bit. Emys take a lot?" she asked, taking Caio's hands and slapping them together.

"Emys? Who's Emys?" Airdan asked, walking inside the kitchen.

"Emys! Kole gilfend!" Dawn beamed at him.

"Who told you that? Who told you about Lys' real name?" Diego frowned.

"How did _you_ get in here?" Tillie raised an eyebrow.

"Through the window. Dawn?"

"Mommy said it." She smiled and went back to play with Caio.

"Mommy?" Airdan frowned "Who's-"

"Baby, mommy's home!" a familiar voice echoed from the hall.

"MOMMY!" Caio jumped down to the floor and ran out of the kitchen, before coming back to get Dawn and the two ran out once more.

Sky was standing at the doorway, smiling happily, and giggled when she saw her baby running to her. Dropping to her knees, the brunette grabbed him in a tight hug before kissing his hair and smiling down to Dawn. The child looked shy, but Sky pulled her in and gave her a hug too. Behind her, Zander stood and, once Dawn saw him, she ran and started jumping in front of him, arms up and asking him to pick her up. The male did so, and Dawn wrapped her arms around Zander's neck and cuddled him.

"Oh, you're such a dad." Sky grinned, having her own son in her arms.

"It's nothing…" but he blushed nevertheless.

"She likes you." Diego observed, walking out of the kitchen "Maybe you can ask her how does her mother know Lys' real name."

"What?"

"She called Lys 'Emrys'. We know that's Lys' real name. Question is… how does she know that?"

"I don't know, but I'm hungry. Can't we just… eat and leave her alone? She's a child, Diego. She still has nightmares, so let her be." Zander pushed his way inside the kitchen to grab a cookie and give it to Dawn, who started munching on it happily.

"How do you know about the nightmares?" Airdan asked.

"She sleeps next to me. I always wake up in the middle of the night with her cries."

 **.~.~.**

In the Eagles hideout, there was a lot of commotion going on. It was loud, messy and reeking of ale and beer, and yet that image was as familiar as the sky being blue in sunny days or the sand of the desert that surrounded them being golden as the coins that were smuggled through it. Inside an office on the second story of the building, a group of males sat, one behind a desk and the other two in comfortable chairs in front of him. A woman was currently serving him drinks, clad in a tight pink top with golden details, a pink skirt with two large leg cuts and brown sandals, with golden jewelry. Her long hair was loose, and her bright eyes battled its long dark lashes at the man sitting at the desk, but he paid no attention to her. After dismissing her, he drank a sip and cleared his throat.

"Let's talk."

"Is it just me or that woman was giving you quite the 'sex' eye?" one of them raised an eyebrow.

"…Really, Faelern? This is not why we're here."

"She used to be one of the women in his quarters, that's why." The third male explained "But when Diego assumed Sky, he 'dumped' them all. Most of them still work here, but moved on. Kiera wasn't one of them. She still has a _huge_ crush on Diego."

"Kole, zip it before I make you mute too." Diego threatened "Now, we all had a mission. Reports?"

"Available and terminated." Faelern declared "I found some interesting things about Larkin."

"Good. Kole?"

"Well… let's just say that Kacia isn't what we call a 'normal' Kaleik." He smiled.

"Faelern. You found Larkin's family, am I right? Lady Lily Cothren. Tell me about that."

"She was lying in bed." He began "A maid, as old as time, came to open me the door. I went into the bedroom and the maid presented her as the infamous Lady Lily. I sat down on a chair next to her bed and looked at her. Hollow cheeks, sickly pale skin and the empty gaze of one that awaits death. I asked if I could question her over a subject and she agreed.

"I asked her if she knew the name Kali Blake. She told me that it was the criminal that has been terrorizing Arunia; her maid had told her so. I asked her if she could tell me something about Larkin and her eyes lit up. She told me he was a sweetheart, that he was the kindest, most intelligent child she had ever met. She also told me he could be quite strange with people he didn't know, but he would eventually get over it."

"Did she give you any info on Kacia or Ezekiel?" Diego frowned.

"She did. Before she could get lost reminiscing, I asked her about the two. Lily told me Kacia was a good friend of his, one of the closest, and she even confessed that she and Kacia's family had thought of marrying the two, but that could never work. She mentioned that Kacia and Ezekiel slept over many times, and the three were inseparable."

"Why couldn't the marriage work?" Kole questioned.

"Because… well, that was when she started telling me about Ezekiel. She said that the two had a strange relationship. Outside, to the world, Larkin and Ezekiel were the best of friends, but inside his quarters… there was more to that. Many times, she found them laying in bed, cuddling, and in one of those, she even found them kissing; she thought nothing of it, they were just children and children like to experiment."

"Oh. I don't think children do this kind of experimentation."

"Me either. Anyway, she also mentioned that, after the massacre, he went in a downwards spiral. Until one day, he left his room holding a big book and told her that he had found a way. He packed his bags, kissed her on the cheek and told her _'I'll come back, sis. And when I do, we'll be a big family again_ ', and left."

"For good?" Diego asked.

"No. From time to time, he would show up and heal her from aging, but he stopped coming. She remembers him – adult – coming over with Kacia and Ezekiel, but they all left after Ezekiel started having a panic attack. Because he stopped coming, she started aging. Looking back, it was almost like she was waiting to tell the story before finally letting go."

"She died?" Kole gasped.

"Yes. After telling me he had a weakness: his love." Faelern finished, and pulled out a small brooch with the shape of a red lily and showed to the males "And she gave me this."

"That's her family crest." Diego observed "Interesting. Kole?"

"Yes?" he snapped out of his stupor and raised his head "Oh, right… Kacia. Well…"

* * *

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _"Excuse me, hi. Is it possible to see… Mystique?"_

 _"He's quite busy at the moment with a client. However, we have other great readers. I can assign you to one…" a female voice called._

 _"Quite the contrary dear." Kole smirked, looking up to her "I believe that he would like to see me. I'm here to talk about Kacia."_

 _"Oh, I see." She left the counter and pulled the headband that was over her eyes to reveal their full white color "Follow me please."_

 _She walked him through a large corridor, covered with tapestries, and opened a door to her left "Please enter. He is waiting for you."_

 _"Welcome, child." A resonating voice called the second Kole entered the room and the woman closed the door behind him "I've been waiting for the time you'd come. Fate told me you are in need of answers. So, come child. Sit in front of me and ask your questions."_

 _"Is that what you always say to your customers? To sell the story of a heaven-sent prophet that is here to answer all questions?"_

 _"I never lie to any of my clients, child." The man chuckled and removed the headband over his eyes, revealing his too full white eyes "Fate has indeed told me you were to come. The woman that walked you here… her name is Fate. So… you want to talk about Kacia?"_

 _"Yes." Kole sat down in front of the man "Who is she?"_

 _"Kacia is… an exceptionally strong woman, a powerful Kaleik, a being graced with the gift of Sight and… my daughter. Why do you want to know?" the male said._

 _"She is sided with a criminal. Kali Blake. Have you heard of him?"_

 _"Yes. Fate mentioned him. He's quite the wrecker. Are you going to take him on?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"You're stupid. Forget about it. Move on. With Kacia by his side, you will never win." Mystique took a sip of wine._

 _"We're not giving up. Our fight with him is personal. He took someone from us. We're gonna get her back. And I would appreciate if you tell me anything that can help."_

 _"And why would I do that?"_

 _"Because if you do… I'll consider on letting your child live." Kole growled._

 _"You can't lie to a Kaleik, boy. And you should know that… because you are one." Mystique chuckled coldly "You don't have the heart to kill anyone."_

 _"Luckily for me and unfortunately for you, I'm not the boss. A friend of mine is the one who calls the shots, and the person Kali Blake took is his song. I have no voice in the decision he takes upon the companions of the person that took his song away." The redhead smirked._

 _"No…" Mystique gulped._

 _"He's a mage, Mystique. And he's pissed off. Don't think for a second that he will have an easy hand on them. So, I'd advise you to tell me everything, and maybe, just maybe, I can let him know how much you helped to save your child."_

 _"Little Cia… she's special. She was born with Sight, young Kaleik. It was hard for her to cope with it, but we all supported her through it. Me, her mother, her sisters… but I'm not going to lie. Her gift scared us. So, I made the decision of enrolling her in the Ildis Academy, to help her; to make her see that she wasn't the only one with powers. There, she met Larkin and Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a kind boy, but Larkin… Larkin helped Kacia. He made her see just how powerful she was, just how 'cool' her power was. They were great friends, and when Kacia came home from the school, she couldn't shut up about them."_

 _"Sources tell me that Kacia and Larkin went down the dark road when Ezekiel died. How did that happen?"_

 _"When the boy died… Larkin was broken. They were each other's songs, and it was terrible. But Kacia always told me 'he's not dead, daddy. I've seen him as an adult. He will come back'. I didn't believe at first, but Larkin did. And he went down dark roads to see how could he save Ezekiel from the pit. Needless to say, when he found out, he told Kacia and asked her to go with him. The last time I saw my daughter was a Spring morning, and she was packing her bags, claiming that she was needed for a bigger future. I never got to say goodbye."_

 _"Why was Kacia scared of her Sight? I can understand nervousness, but fear?"_

 _"When she was eight years old, she foresaw her own death. She woke up with a nightmare, screaming at the top of her lungs that she was going to die in a storm. You would be scared of your own power if you saw yourself dying at that age." Mystique explained._

 _"I know this is a terrible question, but… Kacia was sure to play with her sisters when she was younger. She was also sure to fight with them. Did the sisters ever win?" Kole asked._

 _"Yes. Fate did once."_

 _"How?"_

 _"Mara blindfolded her, and Fate struck her with the one thing Kacia fears more than a storm." Mystique sighed "Her own power."_

* * *

"Well, that's interesting." Faelern observed "But how are we to use Kacia's power against her?"

"Even better. How are we to get close enough to her to blindfold her?" Diego frowned "Mystique told you anything else?"

"No. He just asked me to bring his daughter home." Kole sighed "And you? How did it go?"

"I found Ezekiel's grandnephew. Damn, that guy has some serious issues. Ezekiel's brother is dead, but he told me that his grandfather used to tell him how great of a person Ezekiel was, and how it was such a hard blow when he died. He did mention one day seeing someone that looked like Ezekiel accompanied by a man with pink hair – Larkin – and a woman – I'm guessing Kacia – when he was a kid, if his great uncle was a handful of years older. Other than that, nothing."

"I think this is the million golds question, but… who is that person that calls himself Ezekiel?" Faelern asked.

"This may not be the answer we want to hear, but… Aida mentioned something about his blood being black?" Kole let out.

"Yes, I remember that. What about it?"

"Dark arts… blood…? Nothing?"

"Kole, you got something to say? Say it."

"A road Zander wanted to go down when he thought Malia was dead." The Kaleik declared. Both of Faelern's and Diego's eyes widened.

"No. You don't mean…?"

"Could be."

"It's plausible." Faelern frowned "And he's a Blood Mage. It would be easier for him."

"Fuck."

* * *

 **A/N: Yasss. Background storyyyyy! Kali, I hope you're happy. Next chapter will come with feels. Because I need feels in my LIFE. To whoever guesses what is up with Ezekiel, gets a sneak peak!** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	42. Chapter 42: Someone must take one

**HEY GUYS!**

 **I am an actual nerve wreck right now because I did something I never thought I'd do... and I did it anyway! I sent an email to several publishing houses to... well you know what for. And I am freaking out. But enough of that and let's get to our purpose here today, which is... the chapter! Like I promised in the last one, this chapter comes with... feels. So many feels, and you will be begging to stop with it. MUAHAHAHAHAHA**

 **Okay, I'm done. XD REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, is it? Is really the only way? To kill him? Stick around and find out ;)**

 **\- boop, me too, OMG! And thank you!**

 **\- Dommie, relatability on fleek, honey! xD Yes, it is Clairvoyance! My Valentines Day wasn't that special. My boyfriend is away, so... that's troublesome.. and you're not too late! Thank you! As to Necromancy... YOU GOT IT RIGHT! Sneakpeak of the next chapter on the way!**

 **\- Kali, thank you! I feel the same way! If a story is to be done correctly, the diversity needs to be for everyone! And, as to your bet... you won! Alongside Dommie, you will also receive a sneakpeak of the next chapter!  
** **To Mac: you're bi too?! DUUUDE JOIN THE CLUB FY!**

 **This chapter is full of feels, you have been warned. Also, because I think all kids are sociopaths, _that_ happened! ****With** **all that being said...**

 **... ON THE FIC!**

 **PS: Because her voice is killer, the song used is called Secret Door, and all rights are owned by Evanescense!**

* * *

 **Chapter 42:** **Someone must take one for the team**

* * *

 **.~.~. Jaida.~.~.**

"Hey Jace?" Aida called.

"Yeah?" the blond asked, taking a deep breath.

"I was thinking…" she whispered, snuggling closer to his naked chest "when we find Malia and we bring her back… we will have the wedding, of course, but… I was thinking of something else."

"What is it, Gorgeous?" Jace moved to peek at the noble "Is everything okay?"

"This is wrong, Jace, but I think I've fought enough battles for a lifetime. I want to settle down, buy a house, have a baby…" she trailed off.

"A baby?" he perked up "You wanna have a baby?"

"Yes – I see Sky so happy with Caio, and Zander with Dawn – even though that's a completely different situation… and I want that. I want to be a mother, and I want to raise my child in a war-free world." She bit her lower lip "Is that wrong?"

"No, baby. Of course not!" Jace pulled her closer and kisser her hair "I want that too! I want a house, a child, a life with you! Hell, even a family pet, I don't care. I just want to be with you, Aida."

"Me too." She whispered, "To be honest, I can't wait for that part of my life to start."

"Same here, love."

 **.~.~. Tirdan.~.~.**

"Hum, baby, that's the spot." Tillie moaned "Rub a little hard-OH! That's it!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, love." Airdan scooted her closer "Want me to move a bit lower?"

"No, that's the sorest part." She sighed "Thank you baby."

"Sure thing, love." Airdan dropped his hands back in the warm water and leaned back.

"Hum… so you were telling me about the island." The dwarf leaned back against the moon elf's chest.

"Yeah. Well, it was nothing much, love. A mission, an extradition. So the island was full of beautiful women. Those were the inhabitants of that island. I had to retrieve someone from their dungeons, but they were sneaky, so I had to seduce my way into them. But I told you, nothing happened."

"I believe you." She declared, reaching out for the sponge "Can you wash my back, love?"

"Of course…" he proceeded to do as she asked. Dipping the sponge inside the water, Airdan moved it delicately across her shoulders.

"Oh, and by the way, baby. Thanks for getting me the Night Rouge. I know that plant is a bitch to find. I need that for the spell." Tillie commented.

"Sure. You have everything you need for it?"

"Yeah, I do now. I can't forget to go get Kyra today. Seena has to kill Aryan for the spell to work, but I'm trusting Kyra to bring him back. The only catch is, Seena needs to think she killed the boy."

"I see… who will be in the room? When the spell is being performed, I mean."

"Kyra, Lys – she's the ground holder, Zander, because I need his support, Seena, obviously, Aryan and myself."

"Lys, the ground holder?" Airdan frowned "Again?"

"Yeah. Man, I don't know if it is because of her Druid ascendency, but that girl has more power in that tiny body that one could ever imagine." Tillie sighed "Wanna get out of the tub?"

"Sure."

 **.~.~. Skyego.~.~.**

"When we make this right..." Diego whispered "I think I want another one."

Diego and Sky were in their bed, lying on their sides and facing each other. Caio was in their middle, sleeping, but the two progenitors were awake. Sky caressed her child's locks, and Diego just stared at them with adoration in his eyes. The woman looked up to her partner with surprise. They had never discussed the idea of having another child, but by the looks of it, this was something the male had thoroughly thought about.

"Another baby?" Sky let out "Are you sure? Doesn't Caio keep you busy enough?"

"Yes, I'm sure. And he does, but Sky... I want another. Can we talk about it? At least consider the idea." he asked.

"Diego... if we are to do that... I don't think we can stay here. I mean, the hideout is great and all, and the security is excellent, but… this isn't life. I've talked to Aida about this, and she told me that she's planning on moving in with Jace, like living alone. As a family."

"Hm." The male was quiet for a few moments, but then he spoke "I don't know about you, but a nice cottage would do it for me."

"A cottage?" Sky frowned.

"Yeah, I mean… near the woods, outside the busy towns where we can be isolated. Peace and quiet, and no annoying neighbors to bother us. Sounds good to me." Diego smiled "Besides, I want Caio to grow up free, like you and I did."

"Oh, Diego…" Sky sighed happily "That means so much to me!"

"And besides, if we're isolated, you can scream all you want when we're making said baby; no one will hear you except me."

"Oh, you pervert!" Sky let out, slapping his arm while Diego let out a low chuckle.

 **.~.~. Faenne.~.~.**

"Are you awake?" Roxanne whispered.

"Yes. I can't sleep." Faelern whispered back "Is everything okay?"

"Not so much."

"What's wrong?" he turned to see her, worry written all over his face.

"I'm scared Faelern. I'm scared of what might happen to us, to the others… even to Malia."

"Love, there's nothing you need to worry about. We're going to fix this, we're going to bring back Malia and everything is going to be fine." He smiled softly and caressed her cheek with the tip of his fingers "And you won't need to worry about anything."

"I fear that my own demise could bring the fall of the team." She confessed, placing her hand over his own "Do I have reasons for such?"

"I understand your concerns and fear, but love… they are ungrounded! We are strong, and we can fight this evil! Do not fear, dear. We can, and will win."

"I believe you." She smiled softly "I'm just…"

"…Scared." He finished, moving so that he was hovering over her "I know. Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes. Thank you." She leaned up to plant a kiss on his lips "I frankly do not know what I'd do without you."

"I feel the same, love."

 **.~.~. Kolys.~.~.**

"Hm, no… don't do that…" Lys moaned in her sleep, tossing her head to the sides "Nho, stop!"

Being the light sleeper that he was, Kole opened his eyes and frowned when he heard the rapid and desperate beating of her heart and her shallow breathing. Knowing that something was up, he moved an arm over her and pulled her closer, before shaking her awake. Feeling her heart calm down under his fingertips and her breathing return to normal, he knew she was up, but chose not to say anything before she decided to speak. He knew from previous experiences that Lys needed time to recover after a nightmare and, if he pushed her, she would go into shock.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, "Did I wake you up?"

"You did, but you know I'm a light sleeper." Kole whispered back "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, now that I'm awake." The rosette sighed "Sorry… it was just… a lot."

"Tell me about it."

"It was just… it was nothing I didn't already know, Kole. That's the thing!" Lys sat up on the bed and hid her face in her hands "I already know that this is going to happen, and I don't want it to, but it will, and it's so frustrating because there's nothing I can do to stop it!"

"Okay, how about you stop rambling and just tell me what happened." he sat up too and took one of her hands.

"I… I'm scared, Kole. This is a big deal, and I'm scared that I'm not strong enough to withstand this." She let out.

"You mean, the spell? Lys, if you think you can't hold it, then say it. Tillie won't hold it against you. She will understand." The Kaleik smiled.

"It's not that, Kole." Lys shook her head "The spell, I can take on just fine! I'm talking about everything else! The war, the future… us! I don't think I can do this, Kole… I don't think I'm strong enough to hold it up high."

"Lys, don't do this to me now." Kole gulped.

"Kole, I'm sorry, but I... I don't know what to do anymore. I thought I was brave enough to take on the world with you, but apparently, I'm not. I'm just a girl, Kole. I'm… I'm scared."

"Lys, please." The Kaleik begged, feeling the tears fall from his eyes "Don't do this. Please."

"Kole… I think we need a b-" but she never got to finish her sentence because Kole pulled her against himself and crashed his lips over hers.

The male grabbed the back of her head and entwined his fingers in her loose hair, pulling her towards him. Throwing a leg to the other side of her hips, the male straddled her and pressed himself against her. Lys was caught off guard, and more so when she felt the intensity of the kiss. His lips moving so passionately against hers, his mouth so harsh and his hold so strong that she felt her resolve falling apart. Feeling his tears on her skin, she wanted to break the kiss to wipe them away, but Kole didn't let her.

Pushing her down onto the bed, Kole laid himself on top of her, never breaking the kiss. Their lips were now bruising, to the point of raw desperation. Licking her lower lip, Kole pushed his tongue inside her mouth when she granted him entrance with no hesitation; he needed her touch, her love, her heart. One hand supporting him up and another on her hip, the Kaleik followed the sound of her heartbeat to place a kiss against her pulse. He heard her take a deep but ragged breath, stifling a cry. Resting his forehead against her shoulder, he spoke.

"I don't know what life is without you anymore, Lys, so don't say these things to me!"

"Kole… I'm sorry." She whispered, "But I-"

"No. Don't go. Don't leave like everyone else did…" he cried into her shoulder, tears streaming down his face like a river "I need you. Please stay."

"Tell me how. Tell me how to do it, tell me how to stay strong. I may not believe in myself, but I believe in you." She was crying freely now, the dam inside her finally broke.

"I will fight and win for you, Lys." He declared, pulling away so that she could look at him "I will keep you up and teach you how to be strong again, because I can't handle the thought of waking up one day and you not being next to me. Trust me to lift you up, please."

"I do. I just don't think I'm strong enough." she admitted.

"You don't need to be. Let me be the strong one this time. Lay on me, and we'll rise together." Kole gulped "Just… never tell me you don't want to be with me."

"I do want to be with you…"

"I love you, Lys. I need you. I can understand if you need a break, some time to think, but please don't tell me you want to leave. You can't do that to me."

"I love you Kole." Lys sniffled a cry and cupped his cheeks "I really do."

"Emrys?" the male called, after a few quiet moments of staring – in Lys' case – and feeling each other.

"Yes, Kole?"

"Marry me."

"Yes." She nodded, smiling "I will."

 **.~.~.**

The room in which they were was dimmed, the flames of the various candles were their only source of light. In the room were Zander, Lys, Tillie, Kyra, Aryan and Seena, and in the middle of them bubbled a black cauldron with a strange light liquid inside. Zander finished drawing an X on Aryan's naked chest and turned to Seena, gulping. No one had yet told the little Lith exactly what she had to do, they merely told her she was needed to help bring back Malia. She stood there expectantly, waiting for the grownups to tell her what to do. She missed Malia!

"Okay, so... Seena?"

"Yes?"

"You see this big 'X' in Aryan's chest?" Tillie gulped.

"Yes, I does."

"We... we need you to... I mean..." the dwarf tried, but she couldn't. She couldn't deliberately break Seena's innocence. Everyone else felt the same, apparently. Seena felt a small hand on her own and looked down to see no other than Dawn.

"Dawn?"

"Seena. I help." she smiled.

"Seena, we need you to grab this knife" Kyra showed her the curved dagger "and... pierce it through the middle of Aryan's chest. Can you do it?"

"I... kills Aryan?" Seena gulped.

"Yes, you do." Lys looked like she was on the verge of tears "Can you do it?"

"I..."

"Seena" Dawn called "Malia. You want to see Malia, wight?"

"Yes, more than anything!"

"Do it. Kill Awyan and we can see Malia again!" Dawn took the dagger and put it on Seena's hand "Do it."

Seena frowned, fire in her eyes, and wrapped her dainty fingers around the hilt of the dagger. She raised her hand and drove the blade inside his chest, and stepped back. Lys grabbed Seena and Dawn and walked them out of the room and closing the door behind her. Sitting down with the children next to her, Lys pictured what was going on inside the small room: Tillie probably pulled out the dagger, Zander was most likely collecting the blood and performing the ritual and Kyra waited for Aryan's heart to falter so that she could bring him back to life.

"Dawn?" Seena called.

"Yes?"

"I did good, right? We'll see mommy again?"

"Yes, Seena. We will."

 **.~.~.**

"Okay, here. Use it wherever you want, but keep it in contact with the skin." Tillie smiled "Most of us wear it in a necklace, under the clothing. It needs to be in contact with the skin."

"Oh." He observed the shard of blood-red crystal that Tillie placed in his opened palm with a leather strip running through it "How does it work?"

"It basically acts like a barrier. The shard 'feels' your pulse – hence the need of being against the skin – and protects you from Larkin's magic. Keeps your blood from being played by Larkin." Tillie explained, while placing the necklace around his neck.

"The bad man can foce us to do things we don't want." Dawn let out while playing with a rag doll with red hair and dark eyes that Lys made for her "The blood stats wunning the othe diwection and he contwols it..."

"How do you know that, honey?" Tillie frowned, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Mommy said so. Mommy always tells me to hide unde' the bed when the bad man comes." Dawn let out, sighing "She says he's bad and scawy."

"Dawn? Do you know anything else about this bad man? His name, perhaps?" Jace asked, caressing her hair.

"Nho, sowy." She pouted.

"It's okay honey… we were just checking. So that we could protect you more, yes?" The blond smiled, and Dawn giggled.

Jace left the room on Aida's request, to see her upstairs, and Tillie leaned back on the couch, with a book in her hands. Airdan and Lys came inside the living room and while the mood elf settled next to his wife, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as the dwarf settled her head on his chest, Lys sat down in front of Dawn and took her petite hands in her own and began to teach her how to play Tic Tac Toe with her hands. Dawn pouted every time she missed a clap but giggled when Lys was the one to make that same mistake, and the two entertained themselves with the childish game.

Dawn began humming a song while they were playing. A somewhat gothic, but soft sounding tune with a nice melody. A smile drew itself on Lys' lips while hearing the child sing. The song was unknown to her, but it was so beautiful – by the tune Dawn sang – that she couldn't help but stop and listen. It was captivating, hypnotic even and the child paid no mind to the three adults that stared at her with curiosity. She grabbed her doll and began braiding its long reddish hair, the tune of the song still playing in her lips.

"Hum, hum the lights, feed the fiwe til my soul bweaks fee." She sang "My hawt is high as the waes upon me!"

"And I, I will remember how to fly…" Airdan continued to sing with her, his gaze curious. Dawn smiled brightly at him and they sang together:

 _Unlock the heavens in my mind  
Follow my love back  
Through the same secret door_

"You heawd it!" the child exclaimed.

"How do you know that song, Dawn dear?" Tillie asked.

"I told you! In the pweetty mountain. Voices sing evewy moon! They sing this!" the child tried to explain.

"Airdan? You sang along. You know this song?" Lys asked.

"Yeah. Love, that's the song of Valond. The song that opens the gates of Heaven for the priestesses to receive the blessing of Neema."

* * *

 **A/N: The cat is out of the bag! Boop, do you recall what was in the center of the map? ;) I love dropping hints. Next chapter will bring some controversy, and an identity reveal!** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	43. Chapter 43: I Found You

**HEY GUYS!**

 **Okay, this chapter is going to be special, at the request of many (or just the voices in my head, who cares). Who is Dawn, after all? The little girl that slithered her way inside their lives and hearts, claiming them aas their own? In this chapter, ladies and gentlemen, we are to find out the identity of this tiny porcelain doll. Some of you have theories, others just a thought. Write down who you think this little child is and at the end of this chapter, check if they are correct!**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, you and necromancy... that was magic, dark magic, but it wasn't necromancy! Malia is alive, wth?**

 **\- boop, thank you for reviewing... Aryan is 16... how old are you?**

 **\- Dommie, did you like the sneakpeak? Here's the full chapter! And ily2 by the way xD**

 **\- Kali, you are correct, he's not really dead, but things will go as if he is... I'm not sure if I'm going to add him in later chapters... and it broke my heart to write that too!  
To Mac: thank you!  
**

 **Revelations are to come in this chapter, of all kinds by the way. I really enjoy this one, and I hope you like it as well!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 43: I Found You**

* * *

The gentle rock of the ship in the sea was peaceful, relaxing the troubled minds and easing the problems. The worries faded like the sea foam beneath them, and, if you were quiet enough, you could hear the soft chant of the sirens. The sun was bright above them, reflecting in the blues of the ocean, and a sigh escaped her pouty lips as she watched the horizon, the shore a mere illusion. Cotton-like clouds specked all over the sky, forming all sorts of shapes that she was trying to decipher. One of them almost resembled the mark she came to associate with her mo-

"There you are!" she turned to see Zander frowning at her "What did I tell you? Do not leave my side!"

"Sowy, Zanda…" she pouted, and allowed him to pick her up.

"I don't know how you got to this boat, Dawn, but you're here and we can't really go back to Adeshia. So, don't leave my side! I'm planning on leaving you with Nina once we get to Valond, but you know I'll come back for you once we have Malia." He fixed the lilac overall that he had bought her over the pink tee, setting the straps straight.

"Okay, Zanda…"

"I'm sorry… do you know a woman named Aida? A noble… green eyes…?" a voice called, and Zander turned. A young woman with blonde hair was smiling softly at them, a warm glow in her deep blue eyes.

"Yeah, I know her. She's at the main deck, if you're looking for her… miss…?"

"Oh! Anyssa. We're… friends. Somewhat." She blushed.

"Oh. Right. Main deck, Miss Anyssa." Zander smiled, bringing Dawn closer to him.

"Thank you…" she smiled "Oh, and if I may… the rest might be from her mother, but your child has your eyes."

"Oh…" the male blushed "She's not… I mean…"

"Farewell, stranger." Anyssa waved and left the two on the upper deck.

The two looked at one another and Dawn cocked her head to the side while Zander shook his head and looked out to the horizon, sighing. The male walked them back to the main deck, watching Jace and Diego having a friendly spar, and Tillie and Sky talking. He settled with sitting against the gunwale, watching the people that made his life in front of him.

"Dee? Is that you?" a kind voice called out. Both Zander and Dawn turned to the voice and saw Meimei running to them "Dee?"

"Meimei!" the toddler exclaimed "You hea!"

"Yeah, I'm here! What are you doing here? Mom and I have been looking all over for you! We figured that you had just slipped out of the ship at some point, but we didn't know where! But I found you!"

"Yey! Meimei!" Dawn clapped and giggled.

"MOM!" the Lith screamed "Guess who I found?!"

"Meimei, how many times do I have to tell you not to scream for me like that?!" Nina asked, walking to her with an angry pace "Do I need to ground you again?"

"No, mom, but look!" the child ran to her mom and dragged her back to Zander "I found Dee again!"

"Oh… Dee!" Nina exclaimed, looking up to the toddler in Zander's arms "I'm so glad to see you! I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Nina!" Dawn smiled and clapped her hands.

"You found him." The Captain noticed.

"Huh? What are you talking about, Nina?" Zander frowned.

"She came onto my ship looking for someone. She could barely speak, but she knew how to say his name perfectly. She told me he was her family. Do you remember that, Dee?" Nina asked the child, and she nodded vigorously "Can you say it again? You found him. He's holding you right now."

"Zanda?" she let out.

"Yes." The Captain nodded.

"Alexander Theodin Morthil." She declared perfectly, turning to Zander and looking him in the eye.

"How do you know…?" he frowned.

"She knows… because it was the name she needed to memorize to survive out here." Nina declared, placing a hand on his upper arm, "Dee… what does that name mean to you?"

"Daddy." She whispered.

"Zander… she's your daughter."

 **.**

"I can't believe you. How could you?"

Zander was sitting on the main deck, with Tillie looking down at him with disapproval. The moon elf was silent, looking at the upper deck, completely ignoring the dwarf. He had come down to the main deck after Nina's revelation with Dawn in his arms, the child looking like someone had just given her the world. His gaze however, was lost, trying to figure out what the words meant. Not the meaning in itself, because that wasn't hard to know, but… _who_. And when he arrived the side of his companions, Dawn wasted no time in calling him 'daddy' in front of everyone.

"Leave me alone, Tillie." He muttered loud enough for her to hear.

"Oh, I will, trust me." She growled "I'm just trying to comprehend how you could do something like this! How you, wallowing in misery, and screaming at every god and goddess to kill you, could go and… have a child with a girl! How you, the guy that wanted to bring his lover back from the dead when we all thought she was dead, the guy that had his mind settled in taking his own life, could go and _fuck a random chick_!"

"I told you to _leave me alone_!" he turned to her, his face marred with the marks of his fire.

"Zander!" Tillie stepped back.

"You really think I would do that?!" he snapped, getting up and towering her "Malia is the love of my life, you think I would go and have sex with some random woman just to try and heal?! I thought we were best friends, Tillie! But apparently, you don't know me that well."

"Zander, I'm just trying…"

"…to blame me?! To make clear of who is Dawn's mother?! For the part of my life that actually matters, I've ever only been with Malia. Dawn is what? Two, three years old? Before Malia, I hadn't been with someone that way for over thirty years. Is that what you wanted to hear?! I don't know who Dawn's mother is. Maybe someone taught her my name because they knew she would be safe with me. Maybe I'm not even her biological father. Have you thought about that?!"

"She has your eyes, Zander." Tillie whispered, "She has your caution in her."

"What are we talking about here?" Aida showed up into the picture, head cocked to the side.

"About Dawn and the new revelation." The dwarf declared.

"Hum. Are you done accusing him of fucking another hoe when both Jace, Diego and I know that that isn't the case?" Aida raised an eyebrow.

"You believe me?" Zander asked.

"Pssh. Of course I believe you. You're too much of a pussy to go after someone else. You wouldn't risk your neck to any of our hands if we found out. And besides…" the noble smirked "you love Malia too much to do that to her."

"Thank you." The moon elf smiled.

"We have a pool ongoing on who Dawn's mother may be. You in?" she turned to Tillie.

"Are you serious?"

"Well… yeah. Do you want to know who Jace, Diego, Sky and I are betting on?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Well, my dear Zander…" the white-haired female placed a hand on his shoulder "know that we made this decision based on proof that we've collected based on the little one's actions…"

"Aida, who did you bet on?"

"Malia."

"What?"

"Seriously? The bravado, the strength, that daring smirk and I would recognize that sassiness anywhere." She explained "Besides… the hair is a dead giveaway."

"The red hair?" Tillie raised an eyebrow.

"Look closer, Tillie." She pointed at the child, who played with Faelern and Seena "Not red. _Bronze_ hair."

"It's… impossible. And even if Malia was pregnant when she was kidnapped," the dwarf frowned "there's no way the baby lived. And even if it did, Larkin would have killed it, or get it away from Malia. She wouldn't stick around Malia for long enough to learn Zander's name."

"You don't know that." Zander looked at the child with a new light "Aida… you really think so?"

"I would bet my future children on the fact that Dawn is your child and Malia's." she declared.

 **.~.~.**

When they arrived at Valond's Mountain, the group was decided. They were ready and sure of what was about to happen. Under the veil of snow and purity, a terrible evil was hidden, and they were there to purge those people away from the mountain. They stood at the base, and they knew they had a long walk ahead of them. They formed three groups to each of the enemies, Diego, Jace and Zander for Larkin, Faelern, Kole and Airdan against Ezekiel and finally Aida, Tillie and Sky against Kacia. They figured Malia wouldn't be called until after, and Seena would stay in the background alongside… Dawn?

"Dawn, what the hell are you doing here?!" Zander exclaimed, looking wide-eyed at the child that stood hidden behind the Lith.

"Daddy!" she grinned.

"Dawn, you are not supposed to be here!" the moon elf picked her up. He wasn't really mad, he was just worried about her.

"Daddy… I mish you." She pouted, and Aida started laughing out loud.

"Why are you laughing, Aida?"

"Is there still doubt in your mind that Malia is her mother?" she roared with laughter "There is no way that sneaky bastard didn't come from Malia."

"I agree." Jace chuckled along with his fiancé.

"Despite whoever her mother might be, she shouldn't be here." He looked down at the toddler "Seena!"

"Yes, Zander?"

"I have a mission for you." He declared "You are to protect Dawn. Nothing is to happen to her. She's gonna have to come with us, because I don't trust her to stay still and not follow us. Can you do it?"

"Yes. I can! Trust me, I will protect Dawn!" the Lith took Dawn from Zander's arms and cradled the child in his "Dawn, you're going to stay with me, okay?"

"Okay!"

The climb wasn't hard, but they had to stop a few times to rest (mainly because of Sky, Aida and Seena). Zander was itching to get to the top of the mountain, to see his lover once more and finally bring her home. They walked and walked, reviewing the plan out loud enough times for even Dawn to memorize, but they knew that, in the heat of the battle, there was no guarantee that the plan would be followed. They knew that Aida was itching to kick some serious Kacia ass, and Sky was feeling the same. Dawn walked hand in hand with Seena, listening to the blonde chattering on about the adventures they have had gone through.

"He-ey, Dawn! Where are you going?" the Lith exclaimed, watching the baby walk away from the group and following the side of the mountain.

"Dawn, come back!" Zader exclaimed.

"Daddy, this way! Come!" she motioned and carried on.

The group followed, the snow quickly disappearing to give way to hard and solid rock, softened by the moss covering it. The child stopped for a bit, only to untie her shoes and remove them, padding her way through the rocks. Seena followed her blindly, something told her that Dawn knew the way to get to Malia, and the adults followed.

"Dawn?" the mouse picked up the toddler's shoes "Why did you take off your shoes?"

"Feet know the way. Rock has a dwawing I can't see. Only feel." She explained and looked around.

They were in the base of the peak of the mountain, the rocks covered with moss, pink flowers and grass. Sky supported herself on one of the tall rocks and took Diego's hand. Aida and Jace followed the Lith and Zander followed behind them, curious on where Dawn wanted to take them. She gasped and crouched, patting the rock under her small feet. Closing her eyes and following invisible lines with her fingers, she shrieked and jumped around, a big grin plastered on her face. Taking Airdan's hand, she ran back to the rock and pointed at the large black stone in front of her, placing his hand over it.

"What is it, dear?"

"The song! You know it! Sing with me!" she asked, pulling at his sleeve.

"Okay. You want me to sing that song with you?" he kneeled in front of her. Dawn placed his hand back on the black stone and nodded vigorously, placing hers next to his. "1… 2… 3."

 _Turn out the lights  
Feed the fire  
'Til my soul breaks free  
My heart is high  
As the waves above me_

 _And I, I will remember how to fly  
Unlock the heavens in my mind  
Follow my love back  
Through the same secret door_

The second the last note left their lips, the black stone shifted and disappeared. Dawn smiled brightly and went inside the passage that appeared behind the missing rock. Seena followed her and Airdan followed right after. The rest of the group traded astonished looks before following them. Zander moved to light his hand on fire but found that a light was already moving at the end of the line (with Dawn and Seena). Figured that Airdan must have found a torch and gave it to the Lith, he kept going.

They followed the tunnel, and even though it had many bifurcation, the toddler appeared to know where she was going because, soon enough, they were reaching a chamber. The child moved the tapestry that covered the entrance and walked inside the room, moving to a corner and letting everyone enter the room. It was nothing special, a dark small division with a small rectangle in the wall to serve as window, but it was so small that Dawn herself couldn't even pass through. There was also a metal frame of a bed with a straw mattress, and chains locked to the wall, and a dark stain on the floor that scarily reminded them of blood.

They heard a noise, and everyone jumped, but there was nothing other than that. Seena looked around and didn't find Dawn. Calling her name, she found the little one hiding under the bed, eyes wide and scared like a wild animal. Zander persuaded the child out of under the bed and held her in his arms, realizing that that place must be a dark memory in the mind of the small child. He pulled the door open – it was unlocked – and looked around. He saw nothing, and the group followed him. Crossing the hallway that led them to a big hall, he dropped Dawn to the floor and hid her behind him.

"I found you."

* * *

 **A/N: Dawn is what?! Oh God, of course I saw that coming! There will be no requests or sneakpeaks for next chapter, because I think we all know what's about to go down!** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	44. Chapter 44: Final Battle

**HEY GUYS!**

 **Ya'll ready for this? Final battle guys. Where everything is decided, good or bad. Death is near, but who will fall? That was up for me to write and for you to now find out! We've had some interesting reviews and I can't wait for you to see this chapter and let me know what you think. Curious fact? The scene in itself may seem confusing in a first reading, but I think it demonstrates my perception of battle. If you agree, let me know. If you don't, let me know as well! But for now...**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, the song belongs to Evanescense, you may know the band. And thank you!**

 **\- boop, Anyssa is the daughter of the blacksmith that we find in the first chapter of the game. She owns a clothing shop in Northcliff. Also, 14? You're waaay too young to read this chapter omg. I'm gonna kill some innocence tonight.**

 **\- Dommie, I love the song too! And I spend a good half hour looking for it xD I'm glad you like it, and tell you think!**

 **\- Kali, omg thank you so much! I love you guys! You're the best** ❤️  
 **To Mac: here you go...**

 **Shit be about to go down, fuck this, I'm out!**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 44: Final Battle**

* * *

The female Kaleik turned around when she heard the voice. Gasping, she grabbed the hilt of the swords that she had just put down and turned them in her hands, frowning at them. She turned her head to watch everyone, even though her eyes were still covered with the sheer fabric, before calling after her companions with a melodic voice. Kali Blake appeared out of nowhere with Ezekiel by his side and looked genuinely surprised to see them there. Smirking at the group, he snapped his fingers.

Like magic, a cage fell from the ceiling, locking them in place. Sky gasped and looked up while moving to the left – pretending a scare – to hide Seena and Dawn from their view. Diego noticed her flow and punched the metal bars, turning the attention to him while Seena took Dawn to the darkest corner of the cage and made her sit in the shadows. Jace cursed and looked over to Zander, who was busy glaring at the three enemies in front of them. But before the mage could say something…

 **Click. Clock. Click. Clock.**

The sound of heels tapping against the hard floor broke the silence. They saw a figure move in the shadows, but it quickly stopped moving as it sat down. Zander turned to Diego and made a quick movement to the side door of the cage. Nodding back, the Adeshian male tipped Jace with a wink before moving into the shadows.

"I guess we found you." The blond moved closer to the metal bars that separated him from Kali Blake "Are you ready?"

"Ready?"

"To die, pipsqueak." Aida joined her fiancé with a smirk.

"Oh." The pinket chuckled "In case you lacked the notice, noble, you are the ones stuck in a cage, not me."

"It's over, Kali Blake." Kole stepped forward "Or should I say… Larkin."

The mage's surprise was visible, and the warrior smirked "Yeah, we know. Pity it had to come down to this, after all. How's Lady Lily?"

"She is quite well, thank you for asking. How do you know about her?" Larkin frowned.

"Are you sure, pink?" Aida bit "Last I heard of her… oh wait. She didn't say a thing. 'Cuz she's dead."

"Feeling proud of yourself, Larkin? To have given up the only family you had left, your sister Lily to hold this… vendetta against us?" Tillie declared "Must be something. We warned you to not mess with us, Larkin. And now, you are going to pay."

"Tche. It was time for her to pass anyway." The mage looked away, but Kole could hear the rapid beating of his human heart "She was old enough, even before I started healing her."

"Hum. I suppose you would say the same about Kacia." Aida looked at the female "Interesting turn your job turned out to be, Little Cia."

"How do you know that?" she growled.

"Oh, when you know the right threads to pull, a lot of puppets start talking, love." Kole smirked "Deep within your heart, you must have felt the fall of Fate, no?"

"Fate…" the female Kaleik sucked in a breath, her members relaxing for a second "You lie. I didn't see it, so it didn't happen!"

"Well, there's a lot you didn't see, isn't there?" he pressed "Like those tapestries ripped to shreds, that carpeted floor stained with blood… should I continue?"

"You can't know." She whispered.

"But I do. Am I wrong?"

"Kacia, ignore them!" Larkin screamed "They're trying to get inside your head, woman! Shut them out!"

"But Larkin…!"

"I have to say… for a person that was supposed to have died over one hundred years ago, you are looking extremely well preserved! What is your diet? Vegetables, white meat with a side of necromancy?"

The male frowned at him and pulled his arm back to grab his hammer, but Jace kept going "Come on man, you know better than this. Sorry to say that James – your brother, remember – died, but he died claiming to know that the brother he lost at the hands of a criminal that was never caught was a brave heart and a gentle soul, but that's it, isn't it? He died, thinking _you_ were dead. What happened to sweet old _Zeke_?"

"Ezekiel," Larkin warned "stop."

"Your grandnephew knows about you by the way. But apparently, the niceness and kindness in the family ended with you, but that's none of my business. Your whole family waited for you, waited to see you in the afterlife. How do you think they feel?" Jace smirked seeing the distress in the silent male's eyes.

"James…" Ezekiel whispered.

"Is this how you wish to play?" Larkin growled "Fine. You want me to be the bad guy? I'll be the bad guy. Malia!"

A blue flame sparked in the place they saw the shadowed figure sit down to reveal Malia sitting in a black wingback chair with red cushions, her legs swung over one of the arms of the chair and her elbow propped into the other, one hand raised. Taking a deep breath, she swung her legs and placed her heels on the floor, and stood up, walking to her caller. Gazing up to him from the corner of her eye, she sighed when he took one of her hands. Smirking when Aida growled at him, he winked at the bronze haired woman before leading her to the front.

"If you know so much about us, then that must mean that you know about my powers." He declared, his hand glowing blood red. "I dare you to say anything else."

"Malia…" Dawn whispered quietly. Faelern frowned and looked down at the infant.

"How do you know?" he asked, and the child looked up to him.

"I dare you to lay a finger on her." Zander spoke.

He stood outside the cage, near the weapon compartment, with a deep frown on his face, and the marks of his fire marring it. Gasping at the view of the freed man, Larkin turned his hand at him and shot him a blast of blood-red magic, yet nothing happened. Zander smirked and threw a fireball at him, feeling Diego, Faelern and Sky side him. The rest of the group left the cage and Sky waved a bobby pin at him with a smirk.

"Never leave a woman with resources inside a cage, dear." She declared, and called for her thunder.

The fight started, but I can't tell you exactly how. Maybe it was Zander's fireball that started it, or maybe it was the swing of Ezekiel's hammer. Either way, it did, and next thing I know, Larkin is realizing that his power doesn't work on them and taking one of Malia's sword and starts swinging. The fight started, and the groups were easily formed: Sky and Tillie were going against Kacia, Kole, Faelern and Jace ready at Ezekiel's throat and the three males left were working to get to Larkin's unprotected side.

Aida, however, was fighting against Malia. The blue-eyed woman watched her sneak up on Kacia and quickly stepped in the middle, and the two noble-empowered women fighting to gain the upper hand. Aida was trying to not harm Malia too much and the latter was using that to her advantage. Two daggers against one enchanted sword was something tricky, but the noble matched her easily. The three years that Malia spent missing, Aida spent them training, wanting to bring back her 'sister' at all cost.

"Malia." Aida called "Do you know who I am?"

"Just another pawn for me to kill." She declared, her voice cold as ice.

"No, that's _what_ I am. Who am I, Malia?"

"I don't believe an existential crisis is fitted in the middle of battle." She swung her sword, and Aida barely dodged it.

"Oh, if that cheekiness is here, then our Malia is in there somewhere. Please, come back to us." The noble took a rock in her hand and threw it at Ezekiel's head. She had seen just how close that poisoned dagger had been to Jace's neck.

"You fuck!" Kole growled, grabbing the arm that Ezekiel had swung the hammer against "Faelern, cover for me!"

"On it." The sun elf grabbed a lost sword from the floor and swung it upwards, cutting the wooden handle of the hammer in half, letting the metal head of it fall on the floor with a loud _crash_ "Jace!"

"Take that, you sick bastard!" he shouted, striking several blows from his sword against the one Ezekiel barely had time to draw "Kole, you okay?!"

"Fine, just kill that bastard!" the male groaned, leaning against the wall. Truth to be said, he felt the bone of his arm shatter under that blow, but he could handle the pain for a bit.

"Your wish is my desire."

"I told you before, I'll tell you again. I don't _know_ you." She declared, curling the fingers of her left hand around Aida's dagger and sending a jolt of energy through her body, making the noble gasp in pain.

"Oh, you little… that's Sky's bracelet."

"No. Larkin gave it to me."

"No, he didn't. Sky did. The brunette over there fighting Kacia. She made you that bracelet. I know, because she used it on me." Aida declared.

"Crash dummy much?" Malia smirked coldly, and Aida shook her head before kicking the rogue on the chest, pushing her away.

"Maybe." The noble spun the hilt of her dagger in her palm "You gotta make a living somehow."

"Diego!" Zander exclaimed, watching the Adeshian male take another hit.

"I'm fine, just go for it!" he screamed. He was not fine, but he couldn't tell his companions that "Airdan, resources!"

"Here, boss." The moon elf threw a dagger to the floor near him, and Diego got up with difficulties. Taking a deep breath and holding his left ribs, he spat the blood in his mouth and charged again.

"You're going down, even if it's the last thing I do, you blood bastard." He ran by Zander, used Airdan's impulse to his advantage and tackled the blood mage to the floor, shoving the dagger he was holding into the male's shoulder.

"Oh, you bastard!" Larkin growled with pain, pushing Diego aside, the leader panting heavily "I'm going to pluck every single feather of that Eagle head of yours!"

"Sky, dodge!" Tillie screamed, and threw a small vial at Kacia. It blasted on her chest, and the Kaleik fell to the ground. Sky took no time in falling on her, stripping her of her weapons and placing a hand on her throat, taking the dagger that Diego had given her as a birthday present and pressing it against the woman's chest.

"Are you to kill me?" Kacia asked, her members frozen.

"Maybe."

"Let me, at least, see the face of my killer clearly." She asked, and Sky cut through the fabric with the tip of her dagger "You."

"Me?" she let out, looking into her eyes.

Kacia smirked and exhaled softly, showing Sky a vision of their home in Adeshia. It was Caio's room, and it was dark. The night was calm and quiet, but Sky could see the outline of her child in her cradle. A soft smiled formed in her lips, but soon faded into a horrified frown when a figure moved from the shadows, only to reveal Larkin himself standing next to her child. Growling, Sky closed her eyes before snapping them open, and calling the thunder from her glove, raising her arm high.

"Never again… you can threat everyone in my life, but if you _think_ about hurting my baby…!" she snarled "You are as good as dead."

"You…" Kacia gasped at the view of Sky over her, eyes sparkling and her hand holding thunder "You are Taranis… my demise."

"The name's Sky, bitch." And she allowed her thunder to electrocute her.

"Fuck!" Jace let out, falling on the ground, his sword out of reach. He moved to try and retrieve it, but it was far. Faelern tried to fight him off, but was unsuccessful, as Ezekiel pushed him to the ground too. The necromantic human walked to the blond and swung his sword.

"JACE!"

Ezekiel raises his gaze to see the toddler run out of the cage, her eyes wide with fear and angst. Frowning, the male raised his sword and stepped over Jace, walking over to the child "Child…"

Dawn, realizing she had been just spotted by no other than one of the bad men, she did the only thing her infant mind could think off. She called out.

"MOMMY!"

Two gazes turned in the direction of the child, and both gasped. Diego, eyes wide with fear, pushed himself off the floor and grabbed the bow and arrows that Faelern had lost. Seeing Ezekiel raise his sword in his right hand, the Adeshian pulled one arrow back and aimed, shooting it through his right shoulder, seeing a flash of black run by him. The man roared in pain and stumbled but tried to swing his sword down. But never managed to do so because a dagger drove through his chest, right up to his heart.

And holding it was no other than Malia.

"Dawn!" and for a moment, the person standing there was not a cold-blooded killer, it was not the monster that Kali Blake created, it was not the twisted mind forced to stand out. It was Malia. Aida's sister, Tillie's confident, Diego's best friend and Zander's wife. Tears running down her now warm eyes, she shouted "I told you to run!"

"Mommy…" the child started crying.

"Dawn, RUN!" Malia screamed, and pushed Ezekiel's now lifeless body to the floor "Go. I'll be fine. You know who to find, and you know who to meet. I trust you."

"Mommy… but I found him. Daddy."

" ** _NO!_** "

For a second, the silence was all they had. But the second the body fell to the floor, a pair of purple eyes grew with shock. It only took a second for the reality of the situation to crash on him, another for the same eyes to fill with madness, and a third for him to direct that madness into the object of his pain. Malia's screams filled the chamber, the woman falling to her knees. Dawn ran away, back to Seena's side, and the woman, gulped, before letting her fire consume her.

Everyone was still, most of them on the floor, aching in pain. Kole was positively passed out, Faelern was near said state and Diego was being held up by a barely standing Airdan. But one person moved. He moved because he had sworn to himself that he would protect her no matter what and, in his rage-ridden mind, this was the only solution. He ran to her and knelt down in front of her, blocking Larkin's view from her. Her eyes looked up to his, frowned and unrecognizable. He smiled softly at her and gulped.

"What are you doing? Leave." She mumbled under her breath, before letting out another piercing scream.

He only shook his head and ripped the upper part of her turtleneck apart and took the cord that was against his purplish skin in his hands, grabbing the shard in his hand and removing the necklace, placing it over her chest. With one more ardent look, he let the shard fall from his hand and against her skin. The second the gem touched her skin, the pain disappeared. From her parted lips left no sound, but from his came an agonizing scream. She eyed him carefully, bent down on his hand and knees, one hand clutching to his chest. Larkin, seeing this, increased his power, and Zander roared with pain, falling on the floor.

Malia moved carefully to his side, eyeing him with curiosity. Larkin's magic didn't work on her anymore, but it was working on him now. Knowing that the answer was in the necklace against her skin, she touched it lightly. Gulping, she moved to touch his cheek with her fingertips. He smiled at her over his pain and reached inside his pocket. He took both of her hands in his and showed her what he was holding: a tetragonal-shaped crystal with blue and red flames fighting for dominance, gold lining the two fighters. Pressing the shard against her palm, he let his head fall as another wave of painful power ran over him.

As Zander fought his way through the fine line between consciousness and unconsciousness, Malia's eyes were widened. Before her eyes, thousands of images ran through, all of them moments between her and the mage beneath her, adoring smiles and glowing eyes. Hands holding, shared kisses and nights to no end just spent in each other's arms. Gulping as the sudden rush of emotions brought tears to her eyes, she rested her forehead against his, taking a deep breath.

"Zander." She whispered.

"Malia?" he looked up, trying to fight away the darkness.

"Hang on just a few moments, baby. It'll be over soon." She declared "If you'll excuse me, I've got a bitch to kill."

Malia stood up, a new fire lit in her eyes. Releasing her hair from the ponytail, she let the bronze locks wave with the fire at her feet. Grabbing her whip, she slashed the air with it and took her fallen sword from the floor. Her lips were played by a daring smirk, that smirk that made Aida gasp in surprise.

Raising two fingers, she nodded them at Larkin, letting out "Come on bitch. Let's dance."

Larkin, blind by his rage, takes his sword – better yet, the sword he took from Malia – and attacked. Two forces clashed, blade against blade, nose against nose, raging gazes locked. They pulled away and went at it again, but the third time they did so, Larkin knocked the sword off her hand, cutting her palm. Pulling away, the female gazed at her palm, before smearing the blood from the dripping wound on her face. Once more, the blood mage tried and thrust his sword at her, but at this point, Malia is playing with him. Moving with the agility of a Kaeldor tiger, she is a smirking dare.

But he was done, hurting and aching to die or to kill. So, turning his eyes to the panting male behind her, he smirked. At some point, in the heat of battle, Larkin had lost the concentration on the spell he had Zander under, but now was the proper time to have it placed again. Moving his hand in his direction, Larkin urged a new wave of blood-bending power in his direction, causing a blood-curling scream to leave his parted lips, back arching.

Noticing this, Malia snapped. She took Aida's dagger that was securely strapped to the back of her belt – she'd had to thank Zander later for putting it there – and ran her fingers through the blade, whispering a chant. The dagger began to glow purple, and she finished the enchantment with a quiet _'para que la Dama de la Muerte puede tomar tu alma'_. Slashing the air once more, she wrapped her whip around the human mage's throat, pulling him and, taking the now enchanted dagger, she pushed it inside his chest. Snapping the whip away from his neck, she stood before him as he was on his hands and knees. A short chuckle came out of his lips while blood fell from the corner of his lips.

"What… what is that?" he coughed out blood "Object magic?"

"Yeah. Dark one, on top of it." She smirked "Do you feel the pulls inside you? Those are the souls of the people that you reaped. Let's see what happens when they begin to take your life."

"Nevertheless… I thought you had learnt your lesson last time you tried to kill me, Malia." He sat on the floor "A dagger through my chest? I'm a blood mage. I can heal that. Independently of how many souls you could have conjured to kill me."

"Yeah?" she smirked, grabbing her discarded sword "Let's see how well you can heal without a head."

And then, she swung the blade down.

* * *

 **A/N: Well.**

 **Translation: _'para que la Dama de la Muerte puede tomar tu alma'_ means (for those who don't speak Spanish) 'so that the Lady of Death can take your soul'. Yes. I went that way. I have nothign to say about this chapter, except fUCKING FINALLY and... ****I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	45. Chapter 45: Dream of Dreams come True

**HEY GUYS!**

 **New chapter is here, and let's lay some ground rules. The road so far has been painful, angsty and sad. But now... the remains of battle still linger in darkened hearts. So fear not my friends, the light shall come, but the strength of the living is still shaky. Last chapter got a lot of positive reviews, and I thank you all so much for it, you have no idea! You are the best, and let me just tell you that! I know I should have posted earlier (don't put my head on a stick) because today was godmother's day and I spent today with mine, so yeah!**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, oh trust me, he did. Dead as it is humanly possible!**

 **\- boop, I remember the chapter you're talking about... It took me a while to write it, I was crying by the middle of it. I'm glad you like it, and yes, I'm sure to give Zander a happy ending... eventually...**

 **\- Dommie, I'm so happy you're so excited about this story! Thank you dear! And I'm glad you liked it! About what will happen... read and find out!**

 **\- Kali, Thank you so much! I put my hardest in this one, I think it's one of my best battle scenes so far! Thank you so much for your long review, Kali, this means so much! And the next chapters are coming out now!  
Mac: thank you!**

 **This was a tough to write, not because of settings, but because I had to pull the emotions out of my _ass_.**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 45: Dream of Dreams come True.**

* * *

As the view of land seemed to get bigger and bigger, he sighed. Running a hand through his jet-black hair, he sighed. He was on his way to meet who could be one of the most important people in his life, and he felt so insecure of himself. Which was something to say, because people would say that he was confidence incarnated. The truth was… with her, he couldn't do much but to be the scared little boy that he knew to have buried deep inside himself. She could possibly be the one person that he could be truly himself around. Letting himself reminisce on the events that had occurred for the past two weeks, he leaned back onto the edge of the boat.

After Malia had killed Larkin, she had ordered them to burn his body; she wasn't about to take any chances. Ezekiel seemed to be fading into dust, but Kacia… Sky had only left her unconscious. As she explained to her father once they took the Kaleik back to her family, she didn't have it in her to kill. Kacia told her she though Sky was going to kill her, and the brunette brushed it off, but warned her to never come close to her family, or she would change her mind.

Tillie announced to the group that she was pregnant, and that got her into a screaming fit with both Airdan and Zander over the fact she went into war knowing she was with child. Everything was well now, Sky had sided with her and fought back. Kole and Lys went back to see her family; the young woman had promised her parents to go back to meet them after they won the war. Aida and Jace got married in a quiet ceremony, as they wanted Malia to be there. And speaking of Malia…

That situation was troublesome. She seemed to be back on her feet during the fight against Larkin, but after that… it was almost like the charm lost effect. The crystal – Tillie, after further inspection on the now clear jewel (after Malia touched it, the colors of the gem had disappeared) – determined that it was a Patronus. A one-of-a-kind magical jewel, created to unite parted lovers. Once used, the shape – in this case the fire – disappeared, and it became just a piece of transparent crystal, the magic vanished after one use. It was one of the lost Object Magics, Tillie had said.

"You okay?" a voice woke him up from his thoughts.

"Yeah… you?" he turned to see a redhead dwarf smiling at him.

"I'm okay." she nodded "What's on your mind?"

"You know… just thinking about all that's been going on." He sighed "With you and Jacey and…"

"Malia?" she guessed. He hummed and ran his hand through his hair once more.

"It's hard, Tillie. What can I do?"

"You know… Everyone knows how you two met, how Malia was just a child crashing at your door, asking for help… but I don't think anyone knows just how deep you feel for her. Am I wrong? I mean… she was the one for you, wasn't she?"

"You know I love Sky with all my heart, Tillie. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her. Asides of still trying to redeem myself for what I've done to her and her family… she's all I want. But is Malia the one I would go to first? Yes, she is. It's not about love anymore Tillie, it's about me wanting the woman that has been by my side for longer than I can remember, the one that helped me through the mess that I call life."

"… has anyone ever asked you if you're okay?"

"No. I'm the leader of a cartel for a reason, Tillie. I know how to hide my emotions." He declared.

"Diego…" the dwarf placed a hand on his shaking shoulder "She's gonna be okay. I know she will. I mean, it may take a while, but she will heal."

"She doesn't even recognize us, Tillie! How can you believe that?!" he pushed himself off the edge and started walking around.

"Listen, you. She will heal. And we have to be there for her. Even if she's pushing us way, we need to show her that we can be the friends she needs. Diego, she is your best friend, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"Put yourself in her shoes. If you were like this, don't you think she would do everything in her power to heal you?"

"Of course she would. That stubborn bitch wouldn't stop until I was back on my feet." He chuckled lightly.

"See? That's what you have to do now." Tillie smiled up to him.

"…I'm scared, Tillie."

"Why?"

"I've seen this movie happen once." He sighed "And last time, we had a major fight, and she left me. I don't want to lose her again, Mathilda. I really don't."

"You won't. Because this time… you have us."

 **.~.~.**

The room was dark. The walls were made of stone, and only a small window provided light to the room. The floor was spent, the wood cracked and old. Decrepit pieces of furniture were scattered all over the division, and she sat on one of the corners of the room, the further away from the window as possible. Her knees were tightly pressed against her chest, her hair falling to her sides as a curtain to hide her from the world. Her breaths were quiet and deep, as she tried to make as little noise as possible.

She could hear voices from up the stairs, and she recognized them. They seemed agitated, and that could be the consequence of her earlier actions. She felt bad for hurting them, but it wasn't her fault. Her instincts only told her that, that they were going to hurt her, like Larkin said they would. He had told her that everyone had it bad for her, that no one except him was going to care for her, to protect her. He hadn't known about Dawn, of course, Kacia had helped her keep the child a secret. She knew she could trust the Kaleik when she had helped Malia give birth and took care of the child as she was her own.

But the voices kept on going, and she knew she wasn't going to leave the dark room any time sooner.

 **.**

" _What do you mean, I can't go see her?!_ " Zander growled.

"Are you stupid?! After what just happened? You'd be lucky if I let you out of the house." she bit back.

"She's my wife, I have the right to see her, Sky!" he yelled, and tried to push away from Faelern's grip.

"Okay, I see that I cannot get to you rationally, so I'm sorry, Zander." She whispered before raising her voice "First of all, she never said 'I do', so pipe the fuck down before I beat you to a pulp!"

The broken look in Zander's eyes was the weapon she needed to carry on "Zander, you are not going to see Malia! You saw as well as I did what happened when you tried to go back to what we were! I mean, that burn in your arm should be enough of an answer! She can't handle reality yet, you stupid fuck!"

"But…"

" _But nothing!_ Listen to me, and listen good, young man. You think that three years in Hell did _nothing_ to her?! Were you really expecting to have her unaffected?! Zander, she's strong, she's really strong, but she's human. Per say. There is no way that she is anywhere near sanity after whatever Larkin put her through. You need to snap out of it and fucking realize that she's not the same Malia that was took from us three years ago. Understand?"

"…okay." He let out, sighing "I understand. You can let me go now, Faelern."

"Can I, Sky?" the sun elf turned to the woman.

"You can." She nodded, and the male let the sulking elf go "And now I need three coins to put in the curse jar. Thanks a lot."

"Where are the kids?" Roxanne asked, standing up from the couch.

"Upstairs, playing. I wanted to calm Malia down before she could receive the full blast of energy that my kid is." Sky smiled "But I guess it's gonna take a while before Caio can meet his godmother. Can you go get them, Roxanne? I want to talk to them." The Lith nodded and went upstairs, before climbing back down with two hyped kids on her tail.

"Hi mommy!" Caio immediately ran to his mother and hugged her legs.

"Hey baby… hi Dawn. How are you?" Sky smiled at the children and walked them to the couch.

"'m okay, mommy. What happen?" he asked, taking Dawn's hand.

"Sweeties… I know you really want to see Malia, your mommy, Dawn… but I don't think you should. You see… she's feeling really bad at the moment, and it's dangerous for you because you can get hurt… Zander did."

"Daddy… you okay?" Dawn called out, looking at him.

"Dawn… yeah, I'll be fine." He caressed her bronze locks.

"And you see, baby, we need to be careful for now, until she gets better, okay? So that's why I'm telling you to be quiet and leave her alone for a while."

"Okay, mommy." Caio replied, but Dawn only stood up and walked to the door that separated them from the basement, where Malia had taken refuge.

"Mommy in there?" she pointed to the door.

"Yes, she is honey." Sky smiled apologetically.

"I want to see mommy." She declared, reaching up to open the door.

"Dawn, I told you!" the brunette picked her up "You can't go see her yet. Mommy is feeling really bad, and that could be dangerous for you! No going to mommy. Deal?"

The child nodded with a pout, and Sky sent her off to the kitchen. "Lock the door." She whispered to a quiet Faelern before following the child.

 **.**

The afternoon fell and was about to fade into the night. The people in the house were preparing dinner to feed the children and send them off to bed. Showers were taken, and fresh clothes were on, and now it was time to get everything ready to bed. Caio was playing around with Seena on the living room, and Sky and Roxanne were making dinner. As to Zander and Faelern, they were making the beds and cleaning up after themselves. Sky came to the living room to look for Dawn, but didn't see her there.

"Caio? Seena? Have you seen Dawn?" she asked.

"Nho, mommy." Caio replied, but Seena stayed silent.

"Seena? Do you know where Dawn is?"

"No…" the Ileth replied and hid herself further.

"Seena…!" Sky warned "Where is Dawn?"

"She really really really wanted to see Malia! I thought it was no bad!" she hid behind Caio.

"Seena, Malia is dangerous right now! Where is she?! Is she with Malia?!" Sky was freaking out, what if the woman had snapped and hurt the child?!

"Yes… I is sorry, Sky." The blonde looked down to her hands.

The woman ran to the basement and opened the door, looking down. Her gasp alarmed Seena and the other occupants of the house, who had heard the fight between the two females. Zander ran down the stairs to meet Sky and saw her standing in the doorway of the basement. He walked to her and too gasped. The room wasn't dark as they thought it would be. Malia was sitting against the wall, legs crossed Indian style, her hair pushed over her shoulders and lightly braided. Sitting on her lap was Dawn, whom looked at Malia with sheer happiness. And from the petite hands in the middle of them, a small ball of light glowed.

A ball of light that glowed just enough to see the glow of adoration in Malia's eyes, kind and motherly. It wasn't like fire, red and orange and white at the same time. No, that was pure white, with shades of gold. If you looked closer, you could see what the ball was made of: her hopes and dreams. A doe trotted around over the small planes of grass that appeared once in a while, butterflies flew around it, and a pixie rested atop of little Dawn's head. Malia would make a small flame appear once in a while to amuse Dawn, but she let her child show her the magic she possessed.

Closing the door softly, Sky turned around with a soft smile playing on her lips. She eyed Zander, who looked as dazzled as the child's mother, and sighed happily. She walked back to the kitchen and prepared two plates of food, leaving them in front of the door, knocking and leaving right after.

 **.~.~.**

According to Kyra, what Malia had was a disease called PTSD. It took some time to getting used to the fact that Malia was back, and no one could reach her. No one except her own daughter Dawn. After Diego and Tillie returned from their trip, and Lys and Kole from visiting her parents, it became clear what could be done and who could visit her. Dawn had to be there in every visit to settle Malia's nerves, and the time of said visitors had to be short. There was another presence that began to be present next to Malia. Not Lys, but fox-Lys to be exact. There was something about the fix that calmed Malia down, and that was an improvement. Thanks to Lys, they could now adjust to the woman's requirements and moods.

The only person, asides Lys and Dawn herself, that the woman accepted to be next to her for longer than ten minutes, was Calida. The Queen herself had come to visit her – despite the many advertences from Diego's part – and she had been a surprise. Malia, when she saw the ruler, smiled and asked her how she was doing in a tone of voice that reminded them of the rogue warrior that she had once been. The Queen even brought her food, clothing and comforters for the bronze-haired woman to be more comfortable, and she had thanked them, but without shying away first.

"Hello, Diego." Calida greeted, after leaving Malia's side for that day.

"Calida. How is she?" he asked.

"She's asking for you." She smiled "She's wondering where you are."

"Are you sure that's for me?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Unless you know another that could stand under the title of 'playboy of the century that is capable of shagging everything that moves', I think she's asking for you." Calida winked "You two shouldn't be without each other, you know?"

"I know… but I don't want to take my chances, Calida. I don't want to distress her more." He shook his head.

"You know, Diego…?" the Queen let out, dusting off her skirts "Perhaps in a different lifetime, under different stars… you could be together. Two souls like your own shouldn't be parted."

"We are together, my Queen." He shook his head "I don't need her to be my lover, I just need her by my side."

"Of course." She bowed lightly. "I should get going. Perhaps it would be a good idea to begin to introduce her to the outside world once more? Little by little, of course. It would do her good."

"Of course. I'll talk to the others about it…"

"Look at you, adding others to the decisions! That's an improvement!" the Queen teased, walking to the door "I must get going. Kiss Caio for me, will you?"

"Yes, I will…" Diego smiled, and bid the Queen goodbye.

* * *

 **A/N: This happened. Go ahead, I'm waiting. But you can't fight with me on the fact that someone can survive three years in hell and be okay with it. More is to come, so stay tuned!** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	46. Chapter 46: Healing

**HEY GUYS!**

 **Soo, Malia is back and the pain has all washed away (except in Zander's side, but he'll get over it) and ya girl thinks it's time to start bring characters together. I told you, it's not easy to write Malia's personality now, so forgive me if I mess up, okay? So, I'm gonna try my best and my hardest, but I also believe people heal fast. Especially Malia. I got nothing else to say today honestly. I have a bit of a headache, my shoulder is hurting and I have a Literature test tomorrow. AKA fuck me.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- boop, yes it was! Dawn was holding a ball of light in her hands, providing light to the tunnel! And thank you, i thought it was a good idea!**

 **\- Dommie, Thing TM! XD And I completely agree with you. thank you!  
**

 **\- Kali, I don't believe so. And I personally with Mac, a soulmate doesn't necessarily need to be a lover. Think of this example: a mother and a child get along super well, they understand each other perfectly. They can be soulmates! And thank you, I will try!  
Mac: exactly! thank you, honey!  
**

 **Fuck me, I think this is a good thing to write, and Ima start healing her.**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 46: Healing...**

* * *

The sun was bright over their heads, and the loud voices of the merchants were faded, the markets too far away. He followed her quiet pace, fearful and slow. He trailed after the bronze hair, bangs pushed off her eyes by a hairclip that Dawn had given her. He pursued the alarmed icy blue eyes, trying to find any sliver of madness in them. And, while walking in the shadows, to not be spotted by the female, he couldn't help but remember how exactly he got in this position.

* * *

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _"Are you sure about this?" he asked, scratching his head._

 _"Yes. Even though she still sleeps in the basement, she comes up to eat. Alone, but she comes up. And she has already ventured around the house with Lys and Dawn when it's empty! That's a start, no?" she smiled._

 _"But going out of the house…"_

 _"I've asked her to accompany Airdan when he went to gather protection money from people to the Eagles. He says that, even though she is still pretty shaken up, she can handle herself!"_

 _"And you want to leave her at her will. By leaving this house." He raised an eyebrow at her._

 _"Of course not! Are you stupid? She won't be going alone!"_

 _"Who will go with her? I mean, Sky is with Caio, Aida is… well, Aida is currently working for Catalina, Jace is with Zander on a mission for the Eagles and you are… well, you!" he motioned her up and down._

 _"And Faelern is busy with Roxanne and Kyra, Seena is with Dawn and Lys, and Kole is with Airdan holding the forte. That leaves… can you guess, love?"_

 _"Me. You want me to follow her." He deadpanned._

 _"Eanna has shed some light in here!" she clapped sarcastically "Yes, I want you to follow her. Besides, you're the most discreet of all of us. Didn't you tell me once that, and I quote, 'no living being could ever spot you trailing after them'?"_

 _"Bitch."_

 _"No, that's Roxanne, Diego. Don't you know that? Now get out of here."_

* * *

He sighed. That woman would be the death of him. And there he was, following his best friend at the request of a little stubborn bitch that loved to get up in his ass. Woah. Not literally, calm down. He looked her way, and noticed she was starting to resemble the woman they lost three years prior. The hair had its natural glow, the poise steadier and calmer, and… she… Eanna damn it. He really couldn't handle it around her.

Calida had brought her some clothes for her 'special day' – her words – and the bronze haired woman had put them on: a sleeveless black top that cut just before her stomach, black tight pants and brown heeled ankle boots. A dark red sleeve on her right arm and, on the left arm, three golden armlets, accompanied by a thick bracelet that Tillie had left in the basement for her. Her thumb and index finger sported dark metallic rings, simple but beautiful. And around her neck…

* * *

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _"Malia?" he called out into the dark room._

 _A soft fumbling sound was heard, and Diego saw fox-Lys padding her way to him, a smile in her brown eyes. He followed her into the darkness and stopped when he felt her nudge his leg. A small ball of light lit up the room and he saw Dawn sitting beside her mother. When the child saw him, she yelped and ran to him, hugging him tight. He returned the touch, closing his eyes to feel the warmth of the infant. When Dawn pushed away and went back to her mother, Diego sat on the floor in front of the two and next to fox-Lys._

 _"Hello, Malia. My name is Diego. Do you remember me?" he called softly._

 _She shrugged, and he felt a pang in his heart. Taking a deep breath, he gulped and ran a hand through his hair "I'm a leader of a cartel. It's called the Eagles. The cartel goes way back, but when I took over the leadership, you were there by my side. We practically grew up together. You're… you're my best friend, Malia."_

 _"Okay…" she let out, watching him intently._

 _"Okay… do you mind… if I stay here with you for a bit? Caio, my son, is throwing a tantrum, and Sky, his mother, kicked me out because she thinks I did something." He sighed._

 _"…did you?" she asked._

 _"No. He was already annoyed when I got to him, but he started crying when his mom entered the room." He explained, pressing one knee to his chest and stretching the other leg "I don't know what's up with him." He looked over to her and saw her deep in thought. "Dawn's powers seem developed."_

 _"They are." She simply said._

 _"Malia… I want to give you something. Can I?" he asked, reaching for his pocket._

 _Dawn looked up to her mom when the latter didn't answer and pulled at her sleeve. The mother looked down at the child and sighed, nodding "Okay."_

 _"I am aware that you may not recognize it, but…" he retrieved a black collar with a red medallion from his pocket "A long time ago, back when we could still prance around in nothing but our underclothes and get away with it… we were walking around after you ran away from the palace, and we took two horses and just rode to the horizon. We eventually arrived this small town, I can't remember the name now, and we were lurking around the corners, stealing here and there, when you saw this necklace. And you loved it so much that I just had to get it for you. So… here." He placed it in front of her and backed away slightly._

 _"…Corona." She spoke, so softly that he almost missed it._

 _"I'm sorry?"_

 _"Corona. That was the name of the town." She smiled softly._

 _"Corona…" he smiled back "that's right."_

* * *

That necklace wrapped around her neck like it was meant to be there all along. He gulped and hid when she looked back, feeling someone follow her, but quickly brushed it off and carried on. Soon, they were arriving a training field. It was empty; this one was secluded, and not many people knew about it. She moved to jump over the gates, and he trailed after her, wondering where she was going. He saw her drop the dark cape to the floor and gaze around…

…Directly into his eyes. She looked at him with an intense gaze, and he understood it immediately. For a person that knew her for as long as he had, it wasn't hard to know what she wanted. He left the shadows and dropped his own cape, pulling out one of his daggers and throwing it in her direction. She caught it easily and spun it in her palm, eyeing him with a predatory gaze. He nodded back and moved.

Imagine two feathers dancing together in the wind. Agile, quick, and ever so soft. Light and pure, with just the music of the wind to move them in their waltz. Imagine two tigers, fierce and strong, willing to defend themselves and their own against everything and everyone. Their bravery, their passion and their tenaciousness. Now, imagine two hearts, better yet, one heart split into two halves, beating inside two tigers that move like two feathers in the wind.

That was them, dagger in hand, and fighting. Not aiming at the throat, never aiming at the throat, but wanted to disarm the other. This dance was known to them, they danced it many times before. Her feet barely made any noise on the dusty floor, and his blade was almost a part of his own body. But a show of strength needs to have a winner. And, when she dropped to her knees, sitting on his chest, and with him on the ground, the champion was revealed.

"Got you." She tapped the skin of his neck with the dagger.

"Yes, you did." He smiled and supported himself on his elbows.

"Diego… I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For being such a bitch…" she lowered her gaze.

"Hey…" he moved her into a hug. This wasn't like her, and if she was apologizing, it meant something was very wrong "You have nothing to apologize for. You're still the same woman I've come to love so bad. Bitchiness or not."

Her soft giggle snapped him back to reality, and he pulled away, shocked by his actions. He feared that the sudden contact could cause another crisis, but she was smiling at him. She leaned in, he was now sitting fully, and pressed her lips against his in a soft motion. There was nothing into the kiss. No passion, no longing and no romantic feelings. A platonic kiss, one could call it.

"For old times' sake." She answered the question in his half-lidded eyes "I missed you. Three years is a long time without seeing my best friend, you know?"

He dropped the dagger he was holding and pulled her in for a tight hug.

 **.~.~.**

"Hey, Rogue."

The young woman turned her head to see Aida. The noble smiled and sat down on the couch next to her, leaning back and closing her eyes. The bronze-haired woman shifted and continued to play with the small knife in her hands, something that had been left on her basement with a note, affirming that it was a gift for her. The knife was small, and the blade curved, painted black. The handle was ornamented with a drawing of a pair of silver wings draped around it, the cross guard resembling a golden helmet with two black wings on each side. She twirled it between her fingers, entertained.

"Nice dagger."

"Thanks…" she whispered.

"Who gave it to you?" the noble reached closer to watch the blade.

"I… don't know. The note only said it was for me." She observed the blade.

"It's a nice one. Oh, thanks for what you did to my dagger! The magic thing. It's hella effective. What is it?"

"A spell… A curse, actually." Malia moved one lock of her hair to braid it "It's a spell that creates a passageway between this world and the next and brings forth memories of the souls of our deceased."

"Why is it a curse then?"

"Because a resting soul doesn't like to be disturbed, and when it is… all negative feelings arise, and they become thirst-filled demons that will only stop and go back to their realm once they drained the life force of the attacked."

"Shit. That's fucked up." Aida widened her eyes "How… where did you learn that?"

"I don't know… whenever I felt the need to enchant something, all I had to do was to think of what I wanted, and both the magic and chant would just… come to me."

"Hum… that's scary." The noble watched her play with her knife and pulled one of her own, pulling it away from Malia "Mine's a dragon. What's yours?"

"Not sure…"

"Oh, come on! You must have some kind of idea behind it!" the noble insisted.

"Maybe…" Malia looked at the noble "A Valkyrie."

"What's that?" she smirked.

"Warriors. They choose who is worthy of living in battle and who dies. Really powerful beings." She explained.

"So, reapers?"

"Not quite. They have standards, and they choose who to take to the afterlife. Usually the strongest warriors are chosen to be part of the group of warriors to fight in the Apocalypse. It's… mythology." The blue-eyed woman explained.

"That's awesome!" Aida grinned "The dagger is beautiful."

"Thank you."

"Oh, don't mention it." The noble smiled to herself.

"No, really…" a sly smile grew in Malia's lips "Whoever gave this to me… knows me well. The image in itself is a callout to a book that we shared together, and the detail in the helmet… that's something."

"Yeah, well… the highest ranked Valkyries always have black wings in their helmets, right?" Aida smiled.

"I thought you didn't know what a Valkyrie was, Aida… how could you know that?" Malia turned to look at her with a cocky grin on her lips.

"I…" the noble bit her tongue, cursing herself for the slip "Damn it, fine! I gave it to you. It costed me a pretty penny… do you like it, though?"

"I do. What I find most amazing however is how, after almost ten years, you remember that Adela had a four-pointed star in her helmet." She smiled.

"Yeah, well… no matter how hard I supported Aeonor, I always really liked Adela." Aida scratched the back of her head.

* * *

 **A/N: And the healing begins! Whoever gets what I'm trying to do here will get a glimpse of the next chapter! (why not, it's my story anyways)** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	47. Chapter 47: Closed Towers

**HEY GUYS!**

 **What is up, my beautiful ducklings? I am fire today because apparently, I have a paper to present tomorrow and only now I'm doing it. But, tbh, what else is new? Shady shit happening, stuff clear out of the sky and ya girl is back for another chapter! So, single and queer and I just noticed my window was opened during the entire night fack xD ANYWAY, let's get on with these reviews!**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- boop, aren't you a little ball of sunshine today? xD I'm on it!**

 **\- Dommie, thank you, and yes! Yes I am xD Check this out:  
**

 **\- Kali, i'm glad you feel that way. You have probably heard Corona in the Disney movie Tangled xD yeah, I know, lame but it happened!  
To Mac: yeah, you right, it's also the brand of a beer xD**

 **\- Midnight Sin 009, thank you for that. I'm sorry you feel that way, it really wasn't intention, but things happen and we mustn't let anything tear us down. I hope you get better, and thank you for your review!**

 **Hope ya'll feeling good, kicking awesome, and let's get this party started.**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 47: Closed Towers**

* * *

 _Hits when I'm asleep right through  
I'm cold when I wake 'cause I won't feel you  
When I can't breathe I know it's you  
Got a lump in my throat just thinking of you_

 _Makes no difference you've been tried  
Still sick inside,  
It's meant to be over now  
But I think we're going down_

"Hey, kiddo."

Malia looked up to see Jace smiling down at her. She smiled back softly and pulled her legs closer to her chest to allow the male to sit down at the other end of the couch. Dawn wailed against her chest, and the woman settled the child, rocking her softly. The little one nuzzled her mom's neck and rested her head on her shoulder, fisting her shirt. The young male sat down on the couch and leaned back, sighing at the perfect view of mother and daughter.

"Can't sleep?" he asked.

"Not so much that… more like Dawn couldn't sleep in the basement anymore."

"And you decided to join her in sleeping on the couch?"

"She didn't let me go back." Malia smiled and caressed the child's puffy locks.

"She's a real cutie," Jace commented "She stood really strong while you were away, you know?"

"I know. She's one of the bravest people I know."

"What are the other ones?" Jace sat on his side and faced the woman.

"Aida, for once." She replied "There's a lot from her childhood that she wants to keep hidden, you know? And despite all… she's one of the most loving people I know."

"She is. Who else?"

"Diego, that's for sure. It was hard on him when Evanna died."

"Sky's mother?"

"She was his mentor. Taught him everything she knew. And when she died… he was broken." She admitted "He doesn't like to talk about her. Her name brings back painful memories."

"Did you know Evanna back then?"

"I did. She was a great person. She didn't like me very much, but that was because she was trying to hook Diego and Sky up, even though they had never met. She's probably grinning like stupid now, looking down at them. How did you think Diego knew so much about Sky?"

"I didn't know that…" Jace noted "Anyone else?"

"Not one that comes at memory."

"I think Zander is pretty brave."

"Zander?" she frowned.

"Yeah. I know you don't talk to him, but… do you know who he is?" he asked carefully.

"Vaguely." She admitted "I know his name, and a lot of things about him, but not all. Why do you think he's the bravest person you know?"

"Well, that's easy to answer. You know what a song is? I mean, someone's song?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Okay, so his song was taken from him when they were about to get married. After some developments in us trying to find her… we all thought she was dead, because we had proof to believe that. I mean, her magic became faded, and I think you know what that means."

"I do. Did he… felt…?"

"He did. He felt her die." Jace confirmed "And he was determined to use necromancy to get her back. So much, that he left us for half a year before we managed to track him down and bring him back. He was a mess when we found him. A madman even, whispering her name like a mantra and praying to the goddess to bring her back.

"One day, we found a child. Her mother must have told her that her dad had blue eyes because she latched herself onto me the second she saw me. But when she saw Zander… they never left each other's side. He slept with her by his side, because he wanted to. And she would wake up in the middle of the night with nightmares and he would be there to calm her down."

"That's… kind of him. Did he know?"

"That the child was his? No. But that didn't stop him." Jace smiled "Just like it didn't stop him, when he finally found his song, to put himself in harm's way and give her the only protection that kept him safe just so that he could protect her."

"Back in…" Malia gasped "He took off the necklace and gave it to me… and then it was him hurting… because of me."

"He spent four years of his life without you, Malia. One, thinking you were dead, and the others knowing you belonged to someone else and there was nothing he could do about it. He thought of suicide way too many times for me to count. I still bear the scars of his fire, because I tried to stop him from killing a man that had a clue on your whereabouts but refused to tell us. He's the bravest man I know because, after all he's been through, he's still breathing. I'm not ashamed to admit that, if I went through a small portion of his desperation, I would have taken my blade and killed myself a long time ago."

"I'm his song?" she tried.

"You are." Jace nodded "And he loves you to Hell and back."

"But he's not even around…" Malia looked away.

"Exactly. Imagine how much that pains him. You're back, and he can't even touch you." The male moved to stand up "I know it's hard, Malia. It feels like a new reality after all that time in hell. But… try talking to him. You will see he won't push it."

 **.~.~.**

 _You never brought me flowers  
Never held me in my darkest hours  
And you left it so late that my heart feels nothing.  
Once we were made like towers  
Everything could have been ours  
But you left it too late now my heart feels nothing at all_

"What do you think of this one?" Tillie asked, showing her the pale blue tee on her hands.

"Dawn doesn't like blue..." Malia tried, flinching at the loud voice of the merchant.

"Malia... I can do this by myself." the dwarf placed a careful hand on the rogue's forearm "Or we can come here another time."

"No." she decided, taking hold of her coat "Dawn needs new clothes. I need to get them for her."

The two females eyed the various products laid down on the stands. Tillie showed Malia a couple she liked, puffy skirts, colorful pieces that would go well with the child's personality, but Malia turned them all down. She was looking for something special, something that would catch her eye and make her say 'this is it'. The screams bothered her, but she was trying to control herself. Tillie chatting happily next to her also helped tune down the unknown voices, but there was too much.

"Hey, Malia?"

"Yes?" she asked while picking up a dirt-brown shirt.

"Eanna no. That's horrible." The dwarf pulled the piece of clothing away from the mother "Why did you ask me to come shopping with you?"

"Aida is not the best when it comes to fashion, and… I felt like you were the right person to ask."

"And why now?" the redhead looked over some shoes.

"Dawn's birthday is in a couple of days." She declared "Figured it would be nice for her to receive an actual gift for the first time in her birthday."

"What? I didn't know that!" she exclaimed "Oh, I need to get her something now! What does she like?"

"She likes purple." The mother enumerated "She also really likes that playball that Caio has. The one that jumps really high. She wanted one, and I told her I would try and find it."

"Zander gave him that ball. I can ask him to get another for Dawn. What else?"

"She loves flowers. One time we saw a puppy running and she begged me to get one. But I don't want that kind responsibility for now. Maybe when she's older. Oh, and plushies. Tons of plushies. I made her a teddy bear every year and she used it until it was ripped to shreds."

"A teddy, huh?" Tillie smiled "Can we give her one? Airdan and I?"

"Sure… I don't mind. I want to give her a dress to go well with this." She pulled a thread bracelet out of pocket and showed it to Tillie. It was one inch thick and was sewed with the colors of the rainbow in a crisscross pattern. The dwarf saw a cord of silver following it and immediately understood what the bracelet was.

"What does it do?"

"Protection, mostly." Malia smiled softly "I don't want to block her own powers, but this is an incentive. It's a barrier, basically. Whenever she feels fear, it will act on its own."

"It's beautiful. And it'll be easy to match anything with it, since it has so many colors." She smiled "What do you think of this one?"

"I like the other one." The bronze haired woman pointed at a pale apple green dress with short puffy sleeves that was sure to reach the child's knees "It'll go well with the bracelet, it's not that expensive and matches the boots Aida is planning on giving her."

"I love it. It's perfect. How much is it?" Tillie picked it up and shook it.

"Twenty pieces of gold, dearest." The merchant declared.

"That's a little too expensive for my pocket." The dwarf pouted "Malia?"

"Ten and no more." She negotiated.

"Sorry, darling, that's a unique piece."

"The only unique thing about this dress will be with your guts smeared all over it if you don't down the price, you overconfident prick!" the rogue grabbed the trader by the collar and pulled him down "Seven, and no more."

"B-But you just said…"

"Are the words coming out of my lips unclear, thief?" she growled.

"N-no, miss. Seven golds for the dress." He stammered, and Malia reached out inside her pocket and placed ten golds on his stand "The dress and that flower tiara over there."

"Of course… take what you'd like."

Malia smirked and folded the dress neatly, before grabbing a silky tiara with three full bloomed colorful daises, pink, blue and pale yellow, and placing them inside the bag Tillie gave her with the dress. Waving the merchant goodbye, she walked away with Tillie on her tail. "The tiara is so pretty, don't you think?"

"I do. Where did that came from, though?" Tillie raised an eyebrow.

"What, the threat? Come on, that was an exaggeration, and you know it."

"It seems that our beloved Malia is coming back." The dwarf whispered to herself, shaking her head.

 **.~.~.**

 _I feel the rain on my skin  
Wash away all the pain I was in  
I see the sun in the sky  
No longer know how it feels to cry_

 _And it really doesn't matter  
So what? So what?  
That I've been hesitating so long, so long_

"How would you know?" Malia frowned.

"Because of the smell. They have different habitats, so they smell different." Kole explained, grinning.

"Is there any other way to identify them?"

"You could look at them…" Seena pouted.

"Well, that's a bit impossible for him, isn't it?" the blue-eyed woman raised an eyebrow at the Ileth.

"Sorry, Kole."

"It's okay Seena." The Kaleik smiled "How are you, Roxanne?"

"I'm okay, Kole." The Lith smiled and waved at Malia "Hi."

"Hey Fox. Wait, that isn't your name. Rox?" she frowned.

"Yap. And this is Faelern." The sun elf nodded, and Malia waved "Hey."

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. What about you?"

"I'm okay. Roxanne is getting better." He looked at the Lith in his arms.

"Good. When are you two getting married?" she asked, and Kole let out a chuckle "What, what did I say?"

"It's a bit too soon for those thoughts, but we're considering it." Roxanne explained "Are we good, Malia?"

"Why are you asking that?"

"Well… our relationship wasn't always the best one…" she tried, and the rogue waved her off "Don't worry. It's over now. We're good."

"Good." She smiled "I'm going to my room. Let us know if you need anything, okay?"

"Sure. Bye!" and the couple went upstairs "Where's Lys?"

"She's at the markets, getting the ingredients for Dawn's cake." He explained "The big day is tomorrow."

"Yeah… the kid is turning four."

"What are you giving her?" Seena turned to Kole.

"I'm not sure… Lys said she would take care of that." He smiled "She said she wanted something cute, colorful and childish."

"Sounds like a gift, alright." Malia chuckled "I just don't want you to overreact. She never had a birthday party before, and I want everything to be perfect, but not too much… you know what I mean."

"Perfectly." He nodded "She'll love it. I'm sure. Besides, Sky's cooking."

"Oh yeah, she makes the best cookies!"

"Hey, Malia? When did you find out that Lys was an animal spirit?"

"Dawn told me." She smiled "When I saw the fox for the first time, I felt comfortable around her… but Dawn told me the fox had human eyes. I asked her about it, and Lys confirmed."

"When did Lys tell you her real name?"

"A long time ago… we were talking, and it just came up."

"Well, we should get going. Sky asked us to pick up Caio and Dawn from Calida, remember?"

"True. Let's go."

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it people! One more chapter to help you! Malia is healing, and you can be daaamn sure I will leave Zander to last hehe.** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **PS: All the lyrics of the songs above belong to Little Mix**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	48. Chapter 48: Birthday

**HEY GUYS!**

 **Good evening my dears! I sincerely hope everything is well with you, and let's be honest, why wouldn't it be, because I am BACK for another chapter. Okay, I know I should have posted this like a gazillion days ago, but I was busy and going through some shit, so I kinda had to okay? Ya girl ain't Superwoman! Lilly Singh is here for that!** **Anyway, technicalities aside, let's answer these reviews.**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- boop, thank you, cutie, and there you go!**

 **\- Dommie, thank you! And it's alright!  
**

 **\- Kali, thank you, cutie!  
To Mac: aaww**

 **Aight, I'm bored, I'm lazy, and let's wrap this up.**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 48: Birthday**

* * *

 _That zig-zag shooting through my heart  
That zig-zag hit me like a dart  
Electricity,  
This love's tearing me apart  
I been running like the light from the dark  
Electricity keeps on hitting me_

The birthday party was wonderful. Colorful banners were hanging from the ceiling, treats off all kinds embellished the table, and everyone was having fun. Despite not having many friends her age – really, the only one was Caio – Dawn showed to love her birthday party nevertheless. Lys sang occasionally to the little one, Sky kept bringing freshly made cookies to the table and everyone was stuffing their faces with the sugary goods. The child played around with Seena and Caio while everyone talked their way.

The little princess pranced around in the dress that her mother had bought for her, with the flower tiara over her loose bronze locks. Her feet were bare, touching the floor like feathers, making no noise, and in her right wrist was the rainbow bracelet her mother made for her. She giggled and shrieked, but the smile never left her pouty lips and shiny eyes.

Sky and Malia were in the kitchen, finishing the decoration of the birthday girl's cake. It was chocolate, covered with cream and had a handful of sugar flowers that the two mothers made with powdery and liquid sugar. They believed the cake looked beautiful, but they waited for the guests to comment on it. Diego walked in and hugged his woman from behind, eyeing Malia and grinning.

"How are the two most important women of my life doing?" he asked, kissing Sky's neck.

"We're good, just finishing up the cake." The brunette replied, smiling "What do you think?"

"It looks awesome, love." He smiled "You two did this?"

"You know it." Malia winked.

"Wow. Dawn will love it. Speaking of which, the package is here. I can go to the castle and come back in less than ten minutes."

"What are you still doing here then?" Sky looked up to him "Go!"

The two women watched him leave the room. Sky turned to Malia and declared "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For letting me have him. You and I both know that, if you just said the word, he would be with you." She gulped "Thank you for letting have him."

"It's not as easy as that, Sky. Not anymore." Malia started shaping another flower "It's true that, a long time ago, the story could unfold that way. But the love Diego has for me, and I for him is not the same type of love you two share. We love each other like companions, brothers, best friends. You two are lovers. There's a difference. And you are his true happy ending. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, understand? You're more than enough. Are we Adeshians polygamous? We are. But when we love… we love hard, fast and strong."

"I won't… thank you Malia. It's good to have you back." The woman took the cake in her hands.

"Thanks, Sky. It's good to be back."

The two entered the living room and were immediately greeted by exclamations of joy by their friends, praising them on the excellent work. The two grinned and set the cake down and called all to the table. Malia went to pick up Dawn and held her in her arms, walking the child to the table and showing her the cake. The little one was thrilled, yelping and wrapping her tiny arms around her mother's neck, hugging her tight. Caio clapped his hands and tried to reach for the cake, but his mother held him strongly.

"Caio, don't! We have to wait for your daddy to return!"

"Wait no more, I'm back." Diego's voice echoed, and he entered the house with a brown box in his hands "I'm just gonna take this upstairs and I'll be right back."

Soon, the male was returned, and they started singing happy birthday to her. The child clapped along off-key, but she was having fun, and that's all that mattered. Zander lit up a candle for the child to blow and she did just so right after they finished singing and her mother told her to. It took her five blows to extinguish the small flame, but when she did, she clapped her hands fiercely alongside Caio.

"Happy birthday, honey." Malia kissed her forehead and sat her on a chair "Do you want cake?"

"Is it good cake?" she tilted her head.

"Yes. From now on, it's always good cake." Her mother smiled, and Dawn nodded "Cake, mommy."

Malia fixed the flower crown over her hairs and moved to slice the cake. She divided it into sixteen slices and gave fifteen away to the people present in the party: Zander, Sky, Diego, Aida, Jace, Roxanne, Faelern, Lys, Kole, Tillie, Airdan, Seena, Caio, Dawn and herself. The last one, she saved for a very special Queen that was sure to come by after the party. Dawn and Caio devoured theirs, and they went off to play. Seena was soon to join them, and the adults were gathered around to table talking.

Malia sat on a chair, watching her 'family' socialize. She eyed them one by one, reminiscing on the conversations that she had had with them all. She felt closer to them, truth to be told, enough to let down her barriers of mistrust, but she knew she still had a long way to go. Every day, she pushed herself to let her fears down and get rid of them so that she wouldn't scare them off. She felt strong for these people, they were her rescuers after all. Her… family. But one… one of them she watched more closely.

His raven hair fell down his shoulders, tied in a low ponytail. His eyes were beautiful, almond shaped and the same shade as her daughter's, light blue with an innocent glow in them. His purplish skin was fair and smooth, his hands large and calloused. His nose was aristocratic, and his lips were full and turned in a soft smile. Black clothes that clung to his figure made wonders, showing off his muscled body. Malia bit her lip and looked away before he could notice her staring.

 _He's a beautiful man_ , she spoke to herself _, it's normal that you can't stop staring at him_. But somehow, someway, her body reacted differently. Her hands ached to touch him, her nose desired to smell him, her lips pinned after his. Shaking her head, she gulped and stood up, walking to the kitchen to get herself some water. She grabbed a glass and filled it, placing it down the counter. The woman felt a present behind her and turned, spotting Airdan watching her with a soft smile.

"It's normal, you know?" he spoke in that baritone voice, not as deep as Zander's, but still "He's your song after all."

"It doesn't feel that way." She spoke "There is attraction from my end, definitely, but…"

"That's all you need to know, isn't it?" he stepped closer "He's the father of your child, your song and your friend. Which are you going to retrieve first?"

"Whichever started."

"You started as enemies, _Thaga_ …" he reminded her "But that's not important, is it?"

"Airdan…" Malia called "What should I do? This isn't normal."

"There was never one thing about you two that was of such fashion." He smiled, caressing her cheek "You just need to fight to get that back."

"Thank you, Airdan…" she nodded "Maybe we should go get Dawn to open the gifts?"

"Yes. That's perfect." He nodded, and the two walked back to the living room.

She sat down on the couch and brought Dawn with her. The child, after a few whispered words from her mother, yelled out for her gifts, tears of happiness trailing down her rosy cheeks. Jace and Aida brought her their gift: a pair of mid-calf light brown boots with a small pink bow on the outer top. The child wiped her feet on the carpet and asked her mom help to put them on. When she did, the child started hopping around the room in her brand-new boots, giggling, before jumping up to kiss both on the cheek.

Tillie and Airdan brought forth their gift. The child unwrapped the cute bundle to see the sweetest looking teddy bear, cinnamon brown with big obsidian eyes and a purple bow around the neck. She shrieked and yelped but hugged both the teddy and the givers hard. Kole and Lys also gave her a toy, a jack-in-the-box with a dog inside. Dawn played with it seven times before thanking the two and looking around for the other gift. Sky and Diego smiled and gave her the bag, in which the child dove, messing up her crown, to pull out an orange tee with a teddy on the chest and cotton white shorts.

"Tank you Sky! Tank you Die'o!" she smiled brightly, kissing their cheeks "Mommy!"

"They're beautiful, honey." The woman smiled "Thank you…"

"We had to…" Sky smiled and helped Roxanne step forward with Faelern.

"Here, Dawn." The Lith gave her a box "I hope you like it."

The child tore apart the box to find a grey owl the size of her head with big sparkly green eyes. She yelped and hugged the owl, before jumping out of her mother's lap to hug Faelern and Roxanne. They both smiled, and Faelern placed the child back on her mother's legs. Last but not least, Zander moved and sat down on the floor in front of the two most important females of his life. He smiled when Dawn exploded in giggles and gave her a small box. He eyed Malia while the little one yanked at the box, watching her soft smile. Dawn pulled out a pink bouncing ball with white stripes and yelled.

"DADDY!" she jumped to her father's waiting arms, with happy tears "TANK YOU TANK YOU TANK YOU!"

"You're welcome, Dawn…" he smiled, kissing his daughter's hair "I hope you like it."

"I WUV IT!" she yelled, and ran to Caio "CAIO, WOOK!"

The two watched their child play with her new bouncing ball with Caio, who took no time in going to his room to get his own and play with Dawn. He got up and smiled down at Malia, before walking away. But she saw it. She saw the way he bit his lip, almost as he wanted to say something. She saw the way he fisted his hand to keep himself from touching her. She slowly began to realize he was walking on eggshells around her, and that made her feel bad. The others were free with her, they didn't have that kind of hold on themselves, but him… he was a different story.

She gulped and stood up, walking to the kitchen once more.

 **.~.~.**

 _Deeper than oceans, the sweetest devotion, it's all I need  
You pull me close and there's no way that I can describe  
What your love make me feel  
Dirty dancing in the moonlight  
That's what your love make me feel like  
Come and kiss me like the first time  
That's what your love make me feel like_

Dawn's birthday had gone by them for over a week. Malia was more and more herself, smiling and laughing more easily. But that does not mean she still wasn't fighting her demons. In several nights, she had awoken with someone shaking her awake from the nightmares that caused her to scream in agony at the top of her lungs. Most of the times it was Diego or Aida, but there was one time that the first face she saw was Zander. That caused her heart to ache, in the good sense, and do summersaults.

One night, because it was nowhere near dawn, Malia woke up. She was feeling hungry and, after realizing the sun would be coming up in an hour, she got up and tucked her child in. She walked to the kitchen, with the idea of making herself some food and go back to bed, to her daughter's side. She grabbed some bread, butter and milk, and poured it in a glass, serving herself. She took a gulp of the beverage and smiled to herself. The idea had been one of the best so far. The view from the kitchen's window was beautiful: nothing but a road of dirt that stretched out to the horizon, where the first few shy rays of sunshine tried to peek from.

She heard a rustling noise and turned, bread in hand. Walking inside shirtless and wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth was no other than Zander. Realizing he wasn't alone, he dropped the shirt he was holding, nearly ripped to shreds. She eyed him curiously, wondering many things. 1) what had he been doing? 2) why was he injured? 3) what the given time? and 4) why was he shirtless?! Zander seemed to read her thoughts and smiled, grabbing a glass of water and downing it fast.

"Don't worry." His voice was raspy, rough and harsh "It's nothing."

"What happened?" she finally found her own.

"Got into a fight." He quickly explained, drenching a cloth and wringing it "Nothing out of the ordinary. The guy was already expecting me."

"'Expecting' you? What have you been doing?" the bronze-haired woman stepped closer to him, her worry overcoming her possible lust.

"Getting my stress out." He seemed self-conscious for a moment, and Malia took advantage of that fact.

"What are you stressing so much about?" even though deep down she knew the answer, she still asked.

"It's complicated." He placed the cloth against his skin and hissed.

She watched him wipe the blood away from his cuts, flexing to reach the farthest places. She eventually stepped forward when she saw him trying to reach a cut in the middle of his back to no avail, taking the cloth from his hands and pressing it against the wound. He hissed for a different reason them, feeling her warm skin against his back, even though it was separated by a cloth. He offered her his healing power and she allowed her body to become an extension of his own, a conductor, and letting his flow of magic run through her. She touched his skin, healing him with his own power and using her own fire to warm the contact.

"Malia…" he whispered under his breath in a pained tone.

"Yes?" she asked, "Am I hurting you?"

"N-no… you're… you're perfect." He almost seemed out of breath.

"You're more." She murmured more to herself, but he picked on the words, chuckling "Where else does it hurt?"

"I can get the rest, thank you."

"Zander." She turned to him and eyed him straight "Tell me."

"Malia…" he tried, but the woman placed a hand over his lips.

Her brow frowned, she eyed every piece of skin carefully, looking for any aspect of it that she could miss; any bruise, cut our wound. She took a vial from the cabinet and poured onto her hands, rubbing patches of his skin like a balm or a slimy fluid. The liquid would help in the healing process, disinfecting and closing the wound faster. She looked up to his face, eyes closed, and jaw clenched, and ran her liquid-coated fingers over his bruised jaw, surprising him. She wiped the remains of blood away from the corner of his bit and sighed, pulling away slowly.

"Thank you." He whispered.

Malia nodded and pulled away from him, washing her hands and leaving the kitchen right after.

* * *

 **A/N: Well... this is about to go down tbh.** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **PS: All the lyrics of the songs above belong to Little Mix**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


	49. Chapter 49: The End

**HEY GUYS!**

 **This is the final chapter, and I wanna end this with a bang. And I'm terribly sorry, but finals and college didn't allow me to update sooner, so here it is! The final chapter of this story! I must admit, I was supposed to end this story around chapter 27, I didn't want to make this a long one, but I did, and what's good about it? I loved every part of it, I hope you did too, and this is it guys! It was great meeting you and I hope to see you in other fics!**

 **REVIEW ANSWER TIME!**

 **\- boop, thank you!**

 **\- Dommie, sorry for the waiting, here it is!  
**

 **\- Kali, thank you for your words! And yes, the 'good cake' part has a backstory of its own, you're right.  
To Mac: thanks s2**

 **ON THE FIC!**

* * *

 **Chapter 49: The End**

* * *

Zander opened his eyes. He was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, on his back, taking deep breaths to relax after the dream he had just had. It involved Malia – of course it involved Malia, he couldn't remember the last dream he had that didn't involve his bronze-haired lover. Closing his eyes, he did was he enjoyed doing after a dream of this kind: reminiscing in their memories together…

 _He walked inside his room, ripping his shirt off his body. Sky had to drop the glass of sauce on him! He threw the shirt to the floor; he really hoped he could salvage it. He loved that shirt, it had been Malia the one giving it to him. Grabbing a clean towel, he dabbed his chest carefully, mindful of his opened wounds._

 _Hearing his door open, he figured that it was Sky wanting to apologize to him and spoke "You better have not ruined the shirt, Sky. Malia gave me that one, and I love that goddamn shirt!"_

 _Hearing a soft gasp, he turned. He spotted Malia at his door, holding a small towel. Her icy blue eyes were large, widened, and her lips parted, matching perfectly the rapidly growing blush. He found himself blushing as well, staring into her eyes. He fully turned to her, exposing his chest. Her eyes started to wander, taking him all in, and he gulped. She was checking him out!_

 _"Malia..." he tried. She shot back to his eyes and bit her lower lip, placing the towel on the bedside table and leaving the room in a hurry._

The innocent yet passionate look in her eyes surprised him; he didn't know she could still feel that way, especially towards him. He rolled onto his left side and punched his pillow, making it more comfortable. He bit his lip and sighed. That woman, that daring heart and wild soul… she was going to be the death of him. Her eyes, her hair, her skin, her hair… there was too much perfection in one being alone. She was perfection, his perfection, and all he wanted, all he dreamed of was to have her back.

 _ **Easy come, easy go**_  
 _ **That's just how you live**_  
 _ **Oh take, take, take it all but you never give**_  
 _ **Should've known you was trouble from the first kiss**_  
 _ **Had your eyes wide open**_  
 _ **Why were they open**_

 _He sang to himself, cooking the pasta as Sky and Tillie set the table for the eight people. Malia was helping with the children, entertaining them while the lunch wasn't ready. Diego and Airdan were in the living room, talking and sipping on a cold beverage that the wife of the latter had served them. Caio, Dawn and Malia sat in a circle, and the two toddlers were playing with their toys, while the woman supervised._

 _ **Gave you all I had, and you tossed it in the trash**_  
 _ **You tossed it in the trash, you did**_  
 _ **To give me all your love is all I ever ask**_  
 _ **'Cause what you don't understand is**_

 _He sang softly while seasoning the food and getting everything ready. It was his ritual. He sang while cleaning, cooking and doing chores because it got the bore out of it. A tune in his lips, a smile on his face, and his mind cleared of everything. Reaching out for the herbs, he called out for Tillie to help him carry the salads to the table and start feeling the children while he finished. The last note left his lips, and he smiled._

 _ **I'd catch a grenade for ya**_  
 _ **Throw my head on a blade for ya**_  
 _ **I'd jump in front of a train for ya**_  
 _ **You know I'd do anything for ya**_  
 _ **Oh whoa oh**_

 _Another voice echoed in the air, following up his song. A sweet, calm-dripping voice with an edge of sensual touch. Smooth as velvet, but not as smexy as his. His had a baritone edge, almost sinfully dark, and hers was just pure and raw erotic, borderline obscene when the right words were spoken. He was surprised when he heard said voice and looked out to the living room to watch her._

 _ **I would go through all this pain**_  
 _ **Take a bullet straight through my brain**_  
 _ **Yes, I would die for you baby**_  
 _ **But you won't do the same**_

 _Her small smile was everything to him. Sky seemed to have noticed the connection between the two songs, and grinned, watching the couple. Zander stood at the kitchen's door, watching her, and Malia played with the children, the two amazed by the woman's voice. The older males, Diego and Airdan, watched them with a satisfied smirk. Even though small and almost insignificant, that was another step towards each other._

 _"What?" she asked, noticing everyone was staring at her._

 _"Nothing." Tillie waved "Lunch is ready, come to the table!"_

Oh, how he missed that voice! The edge of sin, the silky touch and the comfy tone! He loved hearing her sing. She wasn't the most skilled singer, he knew that, she knew that, but there was something about her voice when she sang – mostly to herself, but he had great hearing and always caught her – that he loved. Maybe it was the feeling behind it, or the way she only sang songs that spoke to her heart. Whatever it was, he loved it.

 _"Daddy, daddy!" Dawn called while the two walked with Malia and Tillie in the markets._

 _The man smiled and picked her up from the floor, bringing her against his chest "What is it, cutie?"_

 _"Daddy, I haf' a qestion!" she pouted._

 _"Tell me…" he pushed a lock of bronze hair away from her face "What is worrying that pretty head of yours?"_

 _"Daddy… why awen't you and mommy like Sky and Die'o?" she cocked her head to the side._

 _He sighed. Figured that, of all the things the child had to ask, this had to be it. "You see, Dawn… you know mommy is sick, right? And she's still trying to fit in with us, right?"_

 _"Yeah, but she betta'!"_

 _"She is, but she's not fully healed yet." Zander nodded and looked over to Malia, who chatted calmly with Tillie "And daddy needs to give mommy her space to heal, otherwise daddy is going to scare her away. And we don't want that, do we?"_

 _"Nho… maybe I can talk to mommy and she be happy again!" the child grinned in such a Malia fashion._

 _"Maybe…" the moon elf gulped and looked away to the banks._

 _"Daddy…" the child whispered._

 _"What is it Dawn?"_

 _"Why a' you cwying?"_

 _"Because daddy really misses mommy, Dawn…"_

It was true. Eanna knows just how much he had to hold himself back whenever she was around. How much he wanted to hold her, kiss her, wipe the constant tears well hidden behind her eyes. He knew her better than anyone – Diego is not called to this equation – and he knew her moods. He knew every quirk, every smile and look. And he missed all of them. He wanted all of them back, and Eanna help him deal with the torture that was to be with her every day, and not claim her.

 _It was a Saturday afternoon, and he was alone in the house. Well, alone per say, since Malia and Dawn were upstairs, in the bedroom, and the woman was putting their child to bed, for her to take a nap. He sat on the couch, with a blanket over his legs and a book in his hands. A novel about a forbidden love between two teens. Two rival families, and their descendants ended up falling in love. Capulet and Montague, two sides of a coin, Juliet and Romeo, bonded by soul but separated by fate._

 _He was so into the story that he didn't see the sun fall, nor heard the noise of someone climbing down the steps. Minutes passed from the soft noises, and he felt his hand being taken and placed on top of a steaming mug. That snapped him out of his stupor. He removed his hand and looked at what was under it, and gasped. A cup of freshly made hot chocolate was there, waiting for him. He looked across the room and saw no other than the person in the back of his mind sitting on the armchair, legs swung over the arm rest and with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands._

 _She stared into the window, a soft smile resting on her lips, and he felt the urge to kiss her right there and now. Not because she remembered him when she made herself hot chocolate and decided to make one for him too. Not because she, instead of snapping his attention away from the book, brought it to him. Not because she made sure to make no noise in order not to disturb him. Not because she warned him with gestures, placing his hand on the cup, to let him know it was there._

 _Simply because she remembered just exactly how he loved his hot chocolate in a warm mug in the afternoons when he settled down to read a book._

 _Smiling, he took a sip, relinquishing in the perfect flavor, and kept on reading the book._

Sigh. Why did she have to be so perfect? Why did she have to do these trivial things that got his heart aching for her? He rolled over to his back and looked up to the ceiling. By showing him the small gestures, she proved him she was remembering, and at least recognizing the companionship that the two had. These actions, these efforts to return to normal were what proved him that she was trying, at very least, to go back to what she was before…

His question was… would she want to go back to the way they were?

 _It was in the middle of the night. He was reading a book by the candlelight. Maybe it was late, and he knew he had to get up early in the next day to take Dawn and Caio to Calida, but it was a good book! Why wouldn't he love Catherine for choosing to renounce the wealth and the good figure of what Linton was for the core of her own being that Heathcliff was? He was avidly reading the words, taking them to heart and allowing himself to fall for them. Sighing, he turned the page. Someone knocked on his door and slipped inside quietly._

 _He looked from the corner of his eye to the newcomer but didn't say anything. He continued to read until he felt his bed dunk under the weight of another body. He looked up to see no other than Malia sitting in front of him, legs pushed up to her chest and looking away from him. Zander gulped. It was in the middle of the night, he was wearing a shirt and boxers (that part was hidden by the sheets), and she was close to his own state. Tank top, knee-high socks and cotton shorts._

 _"Malia…?" he tried, his voice quiet._

 _"You'll refuse." She spoke almost to herself._

 _"Try me."_

 _"Can I touch you?" she bit her lip, closing her eyes._

 _"Okay." He smiled warmly at her, nodding when she looked up to him with surprise._

 _Zander placed his book on the bedside table and sat upright in his bed, watching her carefully. Malia reached out and, with the tip of her fingers, tentatively caressed his knee through the sheet. His smile grew slightly, and she moved closer to him. Her fingers raised in his leg, stroking up his thigh and up to his hip, where she maneuvered herself to be straddling his hips, but not sitting on his lap. He sucked in a breath, the proximity was sudden, but very much welcome, yet scary. He looked up to her, but she seemed more interested with running the tip of her fingers up his arm slowly._

 _He gulped when she got to his shoulder and tugged on his shirt slightly. He whispered her name, and that brought some kind of reality to her, because she snapped her eyes at him and blushed, pulling away slightly, but never releasing his shirt. He sighed and grabbed the hem of it, pulling it over his head in a slow moment. He felt self-conscious suddenly. If she was doing this from memory, there were a lot of scars in his chest and arms that weren't there before she went missing. She thumbed the one in his shoulder, that crossed down to his clavicle, and he nodded._

 _"Three years ago," he told "in a fight against Jace and Airdan."_

 _She hummed and carried on. He ended up telling her the stories about his marks, even the ones she was already familiar with for good reminiscing. But he couldn't control himself. Her hands were sin against his skin, soft and warm. His fire kept him heated, but her hands ignited a different kind of flame in him. Hence why his were fisted in the sheets. Her fingers trailed a soft path down to his abs, one that he vaguely remembered her braving it with her lips, and stayed there, designing the scar that crossed his abdomen._

 _"Bar fight…" his breath came out short "I was following a lead to try and find you… but he had his buddies waiting for me."_

 _He almost missed her whispered apology. She reached the band of his boxers and went back up. By now, she was sitting on his lap, and the pads of his fingers drew small gentle circles on her ankles. Her hand, now fully against his skin, trailing a line of fire up his skin, felt wrong, but so right at same time. Her attentive eyes, watching every of his reactions, trying to see what made him tick, what made him gasp and what made him squirm. She had gotten the last reaction when she sat on his lap, and she wanted to reproduce it._

 _Her hand drew the path of his collarbone, to the base of his neck, up the elegant column, and to the defined line of his jaw. There, her eyes fell on her damnation. His plump lips, wet by his tongue rolling in between them and firm. She took a deep breath and placed her other hand on his shoulder. She bit her own lip while staring at his, and sighed, leaning down slightly. The next thing she knew, her thumb was running through his lower lip, and his tongue touched it slowly._

 _He let out a shaky minty breath and she gulped. He leans in slowly and she does the same. Suddenly, she pulled back abruptly and jumped away from the bed, leaving the room in a fast pace, without looking back._

That was a stupid question. Of course she was. What other reason could possibly exist for her actions? He groaned, running his fingers through his hair. She was both his haven and personal Hell. How can she dance around him like that, and expect him to do nothing about it? He wanted her, in ways that a friend did, but also as a lover. He needed her and, although she was by his side as a sort-of-friend, he felt so much more that it no longer was enough. And, if her actions were of any revelation, she wanted him too, in the same fashion.

The door of his bedroom opened, and a small shadow entered. He didn't move, it could be Dawn wanting to crawl into her father's bed. The shadow hesitated a bit, but walked to the bed, and moved the covers so that they could enter. Zander's left arm was under his head, which provided the perfect leaning point to the person to lay their head on the male's chest, tentatively reaching up to fist his shirt. He bit his lip and closed his eyes. It wasn't Dawn.

Malia gulped and closed her eyes, trying to calm her fast beating heart. She was lying in bed with the father of her child, wearing her rattiest pajama, and dreaming of something that could not happen. She felt him kiss her hair and a smile broke out in her face. His right hand was carefully placed over hers on his chest, rubbing circles on the back of it, and his left massaged her scalp softly, giving her the space to move away if she wanted.

But she didn't. She wanted more.

She raised her head to look at him. He realized that and looked down at her. He smiled, his eyes glowing in the dark, demonstrating nothing but love and affection. Hers showed him curiosity, desire and nervousness. He leaned in once more and kissed her forehead, pulling back to look into her eyes for any sign of regret and fear in her gaze. But there was none. And she moved. The hand that was covered by his moved to cup his jaw and bring him down to her, as she raised up and planted a soft kiss onto his surprised lips.

It didn't last long. A peck, a small touch. But that simple touch was the answer to his universe. That touch was his completion, his ultimate achievement. That touch would grant an enormous grin to break out in their daughter's face the next day. That touch made her relax, made her remember, made her breath once more. That touch was perfection, union of the two souls broken apart by humanity.

She pulled away from him with a bright smile of her own to match his. She pulled away and laid back on his chest, letting his hand cover hers once more. Their eyes never left each other, and they were held there. Held in that completion, held in their own world, where all that mattered was their daughter and each other. She bit her lip and grinned at him, showing him the daring smirk he had fallen in love with.

He whispered her name, and she eyed him carefully, before parting her lips to speak the words that should have been said many years ago.

"I do."

.-THE END-.

* * *

 **A/N: This has been a long journey. Thank you for all of your support, and have a good life!** **I hope you like it, and if you did, hit that fav and follow button, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on the matter!**

 **The song is Grenade, by Bruno Mars, but I based myself in the rock cover by Memphis May Fire.**

 **Lots of love from this weirdo,**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


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